JP2001037739A - In blood oxygen saturation decline estimation method using breathing waveform analysis by image processing - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for measuring the number of times of in blood oxygen saturation decline by non-restrictively and non-invasively sensing a patient since the patient sometimes detaches the sensor, makes measurement impossible and destroys it when an exclusive sensor is attached to the patient to detect the number of times of the in blood oxygen saturation decline of patient with a sleep apnea syndrome. SOLUTION: The chest 1 or the like of the patient is photographed by a television camera 2 and the image is analyzed by an image analysis system 4. A Cheyne-Stokes respiration similar waveform obtained by that is detected, the number of the Cheyne-Stokes respiration similar waveforms within prescribed time is measured the number of times of the decline of in blood oxygen saturation is estimated from the correlation data of the number of the Cheyne-Stokes respiration similar waveforms and the number of times of the decline of the in blood oxygen saturation obtained beforehand.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a technique for estimating the phenomenon of a decrease in blood oxygen saturation caused by apnea during sleep, which occurs in a patient with sleep apnea syndrome, by analyzing a respiratory waveform by image processing. The present invention relates to a method for estimating blood oxygen saturation drop using respiratory waveform analysis by image processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, sleep apnea syndrome (Sleep Apnea)
Syndrome, hereinafter abbreviated as "SAS". ) Is drawing attention. The disease is not aware of breathing disorders when awake,
Ventilation cessation lasting 10 seconds or more during sleep is defined as occurring 5 times or more in 1 hour or 30 times or more in 7 hours. It is known to cause primary hypoxemia and hypercapnia, secondary to pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, arrhythmia, encephalopathy, and sudden death in severe cases . Studies have estimated that just over 1% of the population has the disease. In addition, since the sleep at night becomes lighter at night when the disease occurs, sleepiness continues during the day, and the child tends to fall asleep easily, so it is easy to fall asleep. The relationship has also been pointed out.

In a typical sleep respiratory monitor currently on the market, a dedicated sensor needs to be directly fixed to a patient's hand or toe in order to monitor blood oxygen saturation. In the measurement method, 1) the patient unconsciously removes the sensor, and the measurement is often interrupted. 2) At that time, accidents that destroy the sensor are continual. 3) It imposes a considerable physical and psychological burden on the patient. 4) There was a problem that it was slightly different from daily sleep. These are all caused by measurement using patient-constrained sensing, and the number of blood oxygen desaturation times, which is important for determining the severity of SAS diagnosis by unconstrained and non-invasive sensing. There is a need for a method of measuring

[0004]

However, in the non-restrained and non-invasive sensing proposed so far,
The measurement of the number of blood oxygen saturation drops, which is important when a physician determines the severity of a patient, is not dealt with. At present, a sensor that directly attaches to a patient's hand or toe using a transmittance is used.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention can perform measurement for estimating a drop in blood oxygen saturation that occurs during sleep of a person with apnea syndrome in an unrestrained and non-invasive manner, and can accurately perform the measurement. It is an object of the present invention to provide a blood oxygen saturation drop estimating method using respiratory waveform analysis by image processing, which can be performed at a time.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention captures a respiratory state, detects a Cheyne-Stokes respiratory similar waveform from the captured image, and counts the number of Cheyne-Stokes respiratory similar waveforms within a predetermined time. Is measured, and the number of drops of blood oxygen saturation is estimated from correlation data between the number of previously obtained Cheyne-Stokes-like waveforms and the number of drops of blood oxygen saturation.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In patients with sleep apnea syndrome, a respiratory waveform similar to a Cheyne-Stokes respiratory waveform (Chain-Stokes respiratory similar waveform) regardless of central sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea Is frequently observed clinically and is widely known.

[0008] Medically, "Chyne-Stokes breathing"
Is a type of "periodic respiration", and as shown in Fig. 2, the respiratory volume / respiratory rate gradually increases and decreases q, followed by respiratory cessation r (central apnea) that is repeated periodically. Is defined as On the other hand, “periodic respiration” is medically a respiration in which the period of hyperventilation and the period of apnea, in which one tidal volume is large, are alternately and periodically repeated. It is said that breathing is not required.

[0009] Sleep apnea is generally classified into "obstructive sleep apnea" and "central sleep apnea". “Occlusion-type sleep apnea” is caused by abnormalities in peripheral parts such as the oropharynx and upper respiratory tract, whereas “central-type sleep apnea” is a nervous system that regulates respiration. The cause is different, and the cause is different.

[0010] Here, the "Chain-Stokes respiration-like waveform" is defined as the above-mentioned "Chain-Stokes respiration" which is a loosened version of the following. 1) It is not necessary to accompany apnea. 2) In addition to the gradual increase / decrease, even if there is no gradual increase phase, it is sufficient that there is a rapid increase and a subsequent gradual decrease phase. 3) It does not need to be periodic.

Such a waveform has various waveforms as shown in FIG. In the figure, (a) shows a first example of typical obstructive apnea, (b) shows a second example of typical obstructive apnea, and (c) shows a low level without apnea. An example of ventilation breathing is shown.

On the other hand, if the number of Cheyne-Stokes respiratory-like waveforms occurring in one hour is defined as the Cheyne-Stokes index (CSI), as a result of research, CSI is calculated as the number of 4% drops in blood oxygen saturation (ODI4) per hour. Are often abbreviated.). That is, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the CSI
And ODI4 show a high correlation, indicating that
It has been found that by detecting a Cheyne-Stokes respiratory similar waveform, the number of drops in blood oxygen saturation can be estimated with high probability.

This method can be widely used in sensors capable of measuring a respiratory waveform, a contact type pressure sensor, a sensor using a band type coil, and the like.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 1, the present inventor has observed a chest or abdomen 1 of a sleeping patient with a video camera 2 or the like, and analyzed the image with an image analysis system 4 having a simple monitor 3. I have just studied the technique of measuring the respiratory waveform by processing. This image analysis system captures the movement of the chest and abdomen as an image, detects an optical flow by tracking, and measures the respiratory movement by computer analysis of the result. By the above image processing, the respiratory condition of the patient can be detected at a practical level, and even when the futon is hanging, the respiratory condition of the patient can be detected almost accurately. Has become.

Using this image processing technique, a patient's respiratory waveform is measured, and a waveform as shown in FIG. 3 can be detected. From this waveform, the number of CSI, that is, the number of Cheyne-Stokes respiratory similar waveforms is measured. be able to. As described above, studies have shown that the number of Cheyne-Stokes respiration-like waveforms shows an extremely high correlation with the number of drops in blood oxygen saturation. The number of times can be estimated.

Based on the above concept, the number of Cheyne-Stokes respiratory similar waveforms obtained by image processing (CSI)
FIG. 5 shows the correlation between the number and the actual number of drops in blood oxygen saturation (ODI4), and it was confirmed that both were highly correlated.

[0017]

According to the present invention, as described above, based on the Cheyne-Stokes respiration phenomenon peculiar to a patient with sleep apnea syndrome, a similar waveform of the Cheyne-Stokes respiration is detected and measured. The number of drops in the blood oxygen saturation of the patient or the like can be detected in a non-invasive and non-contact manner. In addition, using the image processing technology that is currently undergoing rapid research and development, it is possible to accurately detect Cheyne-Stokes respiratory similar waveforms and to accurately estimate the number of blood oxygen saturation drops. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an outline of an apparatus for implementing the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram of Cheyne-Stokes breathing.

FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram showing various aspects of a Cheyne-Stokes respiration-like waveform.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a correlation between the number of Cheyne-Stokes respiratory similar waveforms and the number of drops in blood oxygen saturation.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a correlation between the number of Cheyne-Stokes respiration-like waveforms obtained by image processing and the number of drops in blood oxygen saturation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 chest or abdomen 2 video camera 3 simple monitor 4 image analysis system

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Shirai Hirai 1-4-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki Pref., National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (72) Inventor Tetsuo Ishii 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Tokyo Women's Medical Inside university hospital (72) Inventor Motoko Takayama 8-1 Kawatacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital F-term (reference) 4C038 KK01 KL05 KL07 KM00 KM01 KX01 SS09 ST00 ST04 SV01 SX07 VA04 VB28 VB33 VB40 VC05 VC20

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A breathing state is photographed, a Cheyne-Stokes respiratory similar waveform is detected from the photographed image, the number of the Cheyne-Stokes respiratory similar waveforms is measured within a predetermined time, and the number of the pre-determined Cheyne-Stokes similar waveforms is determined. A method for estimating blood oxygen saturation drop using respiratory waveform analysis by image processing, wherein the number of blood oxygen saturation drop times is estimated from correlation data between blood oxygen saturation and blood oxygen saturation.