Method and system for the evaluation and visual display of abnormal electromagnetic physiological activity of the brain and the heart

Claim 1

A method for the evaluation and visual display of abnormal electromagnetic physiological data of the brain and the heart, said method including the steps of: a) Positioning a set of electrodes and magnetic sensors and detecting electromagnetic physiological activity of a patient in the form of electromagnetic data signals selected from the group consisting of electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalogram (MEG), brain evoked response (ER), electrocardiogram (EKG), and magnetocardiogram (MKG) data signals; b) Amplifying the electromagnetic signals detected at each electrode and magnetic sensor; c) Obtaining on-line digital spatio-temporal signals, consisting of said EEG, MEG, ER, EKG, and MKG signals, by connecting analog-digital converters to each amplifier, and digitizing all data as it is gathered; d) Obtaining sets of said spatio-temporal signals for the patient, and computing coefficients of expansion of the signals in a spatio-temporal functional basis defined by a tensorial product of selected functional bases for spatial and temporal domains,; e) Computing estimates of parameters determined by statistical parametric models for probabilistic moments of said coefficients for a patient; f) Automatically constructing summarized topographic maps by a process of diagnostically useful summarization of information contained in said sets of signals or probabilistic moments corresponding to different instants or frequencies, and automatically constructing summarized curves by a process of summarization of the information contained in said sets of signals or probabilistic moments corresponding to different electrodes and magnetic sensors; g) Computing multivariate topographic maps and curves based on a comparison of said summarized topographic maps and curves with their means, standard deviations and correlations in stored normative data bases from normal subjects; h) Visually displaying said multivariate topographic maps and curves in a diagnostically useful color-coded probability scale.

Claim 2

A method for the evaluation and visual display of abnormal electromagnetic physiological data of the brain and the heart, said method including the steps of: a) Positioning a set of electrodes and magnetic sensors and detecting electromagnetic physiological activity of a patient in the form of electromagnetic data signals selected from the group consisting of electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalogram (MEG), brain evoked response (ER), electrocardiogram (EKG), and magnetocardiogram (MKG) data signals; b) Amplifying the electromagnetic signals detected at each electrode and magnetic sensor; c) Obtaining on-line digital spatio-temporal signals, consisting of said EEG, MEG, ER, EKG, and MKG signals, by connecting analog-digital converters to each amplifier, and digitizing all data as it is gathered; d) Obtaining sets of said spatio-temporal signals for the patient, and computing coefficients of expansion of the signals in a spatio-temporal functional basis defined by a tensorial product of selected functional bases for spatial and temporal domains,; e) Computing estimates of parameters determined by statistical parametric models for probabilistic moments of said coefficients for a patient; f) Automatically constructing summarized topographic maps by a process of diagnostically useful summarization of information contained in said sets of signals or probabilistic moments corresponding to different instants or frequencies, and automatically constructing summarized curves by a process of summarization of the information contained in said sets of signals or probabilistic moments corresponding to different electrodes and magnetic sensors; g) Computing multivariate topographic maps and curves based on a comparison of said summarized topographic maps and curves with their means, standard deviations and correlations in stored normative data bases from normal subjects; h) Visually displaying said multivariate topographic maps and curves in a diagnostically useful color-coded probability scale.

Claim 10

A system for the evaluation and visual display of abnormal electromagnetic physiological data of the brain and the heart that comprises: a) A set of electrodes and/or magnetic sensors adapted to be positioned relative to the scalp or torso of a patient in order to detect electromagnetic physiological activity by detecting electromagnetic signals selected from the group consisting of the following signals: electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalogram (MEG), brain evoked response (ER), electrocardiogram (EKG), and magnetocardiogram (MKG); b) Means for amplifying said electromagnetic signals to obtain amplified electromagnetic signals; c) Means for analog-to-digital conversion of the amplified electromagnetic signals to obtain digital spatio-temporal signals, representative of the aforementioned EEG, MEG, EKG, and MKG; d) Means for storing sets of said spatio-temporal signals for the patient, and for computing coefficients of expansion in a spatio-temporal functional basis defined by a tensorial product of selected functional bases for spatial and temporal domains; e) Means for computing estimates of parameters determined by statistical parametric models for probabilistic moments of said coefficients for a patient; f) Means for automatic construction of summarized topographic maps by a process of diagnostically useful summarization of information contained in said sets of signals or probabilistic moments corresponding to different instants or frequencies, and automatic construction of summarized curves by a process of summarization of the information contained in a said sets of signals or probabilistic moments corresponding to different electrodes and magnetic sensors; g) Means for computing multivariate topographic maps and curves for a given patient based on a comparison of said summarized topographic maps and curves with their means, standard deviations and correlations in stored normative data bases from normal subjects; h) Means for visually displaying said multivariate topographic maps and curves in a diagnostically useful color-coded probability scale.

Claim 11

A system for the evaluation and visual display of abnormal electromagnetic physiological data of the brain and the heart that comprises: a) A set of electrodes and/or magnetic sensors adapted to be positioned relative to the scalp or torso of a patient in order to detect electromagnetic physiological activity by detecting electromagnetic signals selected from the group consisting of the following signals: electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalogram (MEG), brain evoked response (ER), electrocardiogram (EKG), and magnetocardiogram (MKG); b) Means for amplifying said electromagnetic signals to obtain amplified electromagnetic signals; c) Means for analog-to-digital conversion of the amplified electromagnetic signals to obtain digital spatio-temporal signals, representative of the aforementioned EEG, MEG, EKG, and MKG; d) Means for storing sets of said spatio-temporal signals for the patient, and for computing coefficients of expansion in a spatio-temporal functional basis defined by a tensorial product of selected functional bases for spatial and temporal domains; e) Means for computing estimates of parameters determined by statistical parametric models for probabilistic moments of said coefficients for a patient; f) Means for automatic construction of summarized topographic maps by a process of diagnostically useful summarization of information contained in said sets of signals or probabilistic moments corresponding to different instants or frequencies, and automatic construction of summarized curves by a process of summarization of the information contained in a said sets of signals or probabilistic moments corresponding to different electrodes and magnetic sensors; g) Means for computing multivariate topographic maps and curves for a given patient based on a comparison of said summarized topographic maps and curves with their means, standard deviations and correlations in stored normative data bases from normal subjects; h) Means for visually displaying said multivariate topographic maps and curves in a diagnostically useful color-coded probability scale.