Noninvasive transcranial classification of stroke using a portable eddy current damping sensor

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Neurology

Background:

• Current stroke diagnosis relies on CT scans, which can cause delays.
• Timely stroke diagnosis is critical for effective treatment and patient outcomes.
• Existing methods may not be suitable for rapid, portable bedside use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid, portable, and accurate eddy current damping (ECD) sensor for stroke diagnosis.
• To evaluate the ECD sensor's ability to differentiate between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.
• To assess the feasibility of using the ECD sensor for bedside stroke detection.

Main Methods:

• Development of solenoid coils (large, medium, small) connected to an inductance-to-digital converter.
• Recruitment of eight human participants (stroke patients and controls) for testing.
• Bedside scanning using a head cap and circumferentially rotated ECD sensor, taking approximately 15 minutes.

Main Results:

• The ECD sensor accurately classified and imaged various stroke types in all participants.
• The sensor successfully detected both ischemic and hemorrhagic lesions, including deep-seated ones.
• The sensor's range was found to be tunable during design and fabrication.

Conclusions:

• The developed ECD sensor demonstrates potential as a rapid, portable tool for bedside stroke diagnosis.
• This technology can accurately differentiate between major stroke subtypes, aiding treatment decisions.
• Further development could lead to improved stroke detection and management, especially in critical care settings.