Patent No. 5730146 Transmitting, analyzing and reporting EEG data

 

Patent No. 5730146

Transmitting, analyzing and reporting EEG data (Itil, et al., Mar 24, 1998)

Abstract

A method and system for acquisition, transmission, analysis, and analysis reporting of patient bioelectrical data, including electroencephalogram (EEG), computer-enhanced and expanded EEG (CEEG), dynamic brain mapping, evoked potentials (EP) and event related potential (ERP) data, with or without dynamic brain mapping, between a remote site where the physician and patient are located and a data collection and analysis center where the data can be analyzed by high-level computer analysis and/or expert technicians using an available communications channel. The EP, ERP and/or EEG data signals are gathered locally and transmitted using a local computer unit to control stimulus generation, data acquisition, and transmission functions. The high-level or computationally-intensive computer at the data collection and analysis center can also generate brain mapping analysis. The analysis results, along with statistical comparisons of the patient condition at the remote site with the data bases (normals, diagnostic groups, psychotropic drug data bases) at the receiving center are transmitted back over a communications channel to the remote site for display to the physician and patient.

Notes:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to a method and system for transmitting, analyzing, and reporting on evoked potential (EP), event related potential (ERP), electroencephalogram (EEG) data, computer enhanced and expanded EEG (CEEG) data, and dynamic brain mapping data. In particular, the invention encompasses specially developed functions for gathering, transmitting, analyzing, and reporting on such data between a remote data gathering site and a data analysis center.

BACKGROUND ART

Digitization of analog brain electrical activity signals and quantitative analysis of the waveforms by computers are well known. Computers are also used for quantitative analysis (averaging) of evoked potentials (EP) and event related potentials (ERP) are used to determine the physiological responses of the brain to applied stimuli (somatosensory, auditory, visual, or more complex decide-and-react tasks) in order to evaluate brain dysfunctions. In recent years, the development of brain mapping techniques, as well as normative and clinical data bases, have made the above-mentioned technologies useful to practicing clinicians, particularly mental health care providers (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, etc.) who need to diagnose and treat disorders that may be related to brain function.

Such computerized systems require a sizable investment for the ordinary physician, as well as specific expertise in evaluating the results. A trained clinician is usually needed to make the appropriate clinical correlations.

It is well known to transmit electroencephalogram (EEG) signals via telephone from one location to another. The EEG signals are recorded and encoded by a transmitting unit, sent through conventional telephone lines by modulating the telephone carrier signal, and decoded at another site via a receiving unit. The receiving unit is connected to the input of a conventional EEG machine where the signals can be recorded on an analog strip chart and evaluated visually by a skilled technician. Telephonic EEG transmission systems have allowed untrained physicians to offer EEG services within their offices or clinics. However, the current telephonic EEG transmission systems are limited to basic visual analysis of EEG data evaluation, and are not able to perform sophisticated quantitative analysis, brain mapping, or EP and ERP response analysis services.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a principal purpose of the invention to allow physicians to offer sophisticated diagnostic and treatment capabilities, such as computer analysis of EP and ERP responses, with or without brain mapping, as well as computer-analyzed EEG and dynamic brain mapping services, in their offices.

In accordance with the invention, a system for transmitting, analyzing, and reporting of patient bioelectrical (EP, ERP, or EEG) data comprises: a local computer at a remote site for controlling bioelectrical test administration, response data collection, and data transmission functions; signal gathering means located at the remote site, and operative in conjunction with said local computer, for creating and gathering signals indicative of the bioelectrical response of a patient at the remote site; data transmitting means located at the remote site, and operative in conjunction with said local computer, for transmitting data signals based upon the patient response signals to a data collection and analysis center at a different location from the remote site via an available communications link; data receiving means located at the data collection and analysis center for receiving the transmitted data signals from the remote site; data analysis means located at the data collection and analysis center for analyzing the received data signals and deriving an analysis result thereof; analysis transmitting means located at the data collection and analysis center for transmitting the analysis result back to the remote site; and analysis display means located at the remote site for receiving the transmitted analysis result and displaying it for the physician or patient.

In the system of the invention, an integrated combination of hardware, software, and bioelectrical activity measurement and analysis procedures is used for the recording and transmission of not only evoked potentials (EP) and event related potentials (ERP) but also electroencephalogram (EEG) data. The EP, ERP and/or EEG data are gathered at the remote site and transmitted by a special telephone modem or satellite transmitting unit to the data collection and analysis center over telephone lines or a satellite channel. High-level or computationally-intensive computer analyses of the brain activity data and brain mapping techniques are conducted at the data collection and analysis center (the receiving center), and the analysis results are transmitted back to the physician or caregiver at the remote site.

Using this invention, an untrained or unequipped physician can offer sophisticated EP, ERP, and EEG analysis, reporting, and diagnostic services in the doctor's office or in a hospital setting, without the need for a large investment in high-level computer and other equipment or specialized analysis training and personel. An enhanced range of brain activity states can be analyzed at the location of the patient, for example, the resting state (patient resting), sleep activated state (patient during all-night sleep or after sleep deprivation), after administration of a pharmacologic agent (patient is given an antiepileptic, hypnotic, anesthetic, analgesic, analeptic, or psychotropic drug and the brain's response is investigated within a few hours after drug administration to select the best available drug for each individual patient). An analysis can also be done after the administration of acoustic, visual or somatosensory stimuli and/or performance of a variety of tasks (evoked potentials or event related potentials).

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode of practising the invention when considered in conjunction with following drawings.

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The quantitative EEG data collection and analysis allow physicians to obtain not only EEG and EP reports prepared according to American EEG Society standards, but also brain maps, norm comparisons, diagnostic group comparisons, statistical histograms, and drug data base comparisons. This information, which is not available with conventional EEG, transforms the subjective method of EEG to an objective/scientific medical tool which is helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders related to brain dysfunction.

Numerous modifications and variations are of course possible in light of the principles of the invention disclosed above. It is intended that all such modifications and variations be included within the spirit and scope of the invention, as particularly defined in the following claims.