A blood flow measurement system for measuring a blood flow quantity such as flow velocity or flow volume inside a blood vessel includes an intravascular blood flow measurement device with a body that comprises an expandable body section. A control unit sequentially provides a size control signal indicative of a respective one of the at least two predetermined expandable sizes to be assumed by the expandable body section. A pressure sensor unit measures respective sequences of blood pressure signals over a measuring time span defined with respect to a heart cycle period. A flow determination unit uses the values of cross sectional area of the expandable body section, the associated pressure signals and a known value of a density of blood, to calculate a value of a blood flow quantity inside the blood vessel based on Bernoulli's law.

A blood pump system for persistently increasing the overall diameter and lumen diameter of peripheral veins and arteries by persistently increasing the speed of blood and the wall shear stress in a peripheral vein or artery for a period of time sufficient to result in a persistent increase in the overall diameter and lumen diameter of the vessel is provided. The blood pump system includes a blood pump, blood conduit(s), a control system with optional sensors, and a power source. The pump system is configured to connect to the vascular system in a patient and pump blood at a desired rate and pulsatility. The pumping of blood is monitored and adjusted, as necessary, to maintain the desired elevated blood speed, wall shear stress, and desired pulsatility in the target vessel to optimize the rate and extent of persistent increase in the overall diameter and lumen diameter of the target vessel.

A blood treatment system with pressure sensors may be configured to control blood flow to and from the patient and use readings of the pressure sensors to determine a change in a pressure drop across a flow restriction in the blood circuit to estimate a condition of the machine or the patient, or outputting data responsive to the estimation. Further embodiments employ measurement of pressure drop to detect abnormal viscosity or viscosity variations in order to detect possible infection.

A system and method are presented for use in monitoring one or more conditions of a subject's body. The system includes a control unit which includes an input port for receiving image data, a memory utility, and a processor utility. The image data is indicative of data measured by a pixel detector array and is in the form of a sequence of speckle patterns generated by a portion of the subject's body in response to illumination thereof by coherent light according to a certain sampling time pattern. The memory utility stores one or more predetermined models, the model comprising data indicative of a relation between one or more measurable parameters and one or more conditions of the subject's body. The processor utility is configured and operable for processing the image data to determine one or more corresponding body conditions; and generating output data indicative of the corresponding body conditions.

Systems and methods are disclosed for estimating patient-specific blood flow characteristics. One method includes acquiring, for each of a plurality of individuals, a geometric model and estimated blood flow characteristics of at least part of the individual's vascular system; executing a machine learning algorithm on the geometric model and estimated blood flow characteristics for each of the plurality of individuals; identifying, using the machine learning algorithm, features predictive of blood flow characteristics corresponding to a plurality of points in the geometric models; acquiring, for a patient, a geometric model of at least part of the patient's vascular system; and using the identified features to produce estimates of the patient's blood flow characteristic for each of a plurality of points in the patient's geometric model.

Embodiments provide devices, preparations and methods for delivering therapeutic agents (TAs) such as clotting factors (CFs, e.g., Factor 8) within the GI tract. Many embodiments provide a swallowable device e.g., a capsule for delivering TAs into the intestinal wall (IW). Embodiments also provide TA preparations configured to be contained within the capsule, advanced from the capsule into the IW and/or surrounding tissue (ST) and degrade to release the TA into the bloodstream to produce a therapeutic effect (e.g., improved clotting). The preparation can be operably coupled to delivery means having a first configuration where the preparation is contained in the capsule and a second configuration where the preparation is advanced out of the capsule into the IW or ST (e.g., the peritoneal cavity). Embodiments are particularly useful for delivery of CFs for treatment of clotting disorders (e.g., hemophilia) where such CFs are poorly absorbed and/or degraded within the GI tract.

A device for determining the rheological properties of blood may include a channel having at least one channel sub-section that has a substantially constant cross-section; apparatus for determining a pressure differential along at least a portion of the sub-section of the channel; a first reservoir that is adapted to be located at a first end of the channel and to be placed in fluid communication with the channel, the first reservoir being of variable internal volume; a second reservoir that is adapted to be placed in fluid communication with first reservoir via the channel, the second reservoir being of variable internal volume; means for allowing blood to be introduced into the device; an outlet for allowing gas to be expelled from the device; and means for varying the volume of the first reservoir.

A blood pump system for persistently increasing the overall diameter and lumen diameter of peripheral veins and arteries by persistently increasing the speed of blood and the wall shear stress in a peripheral vein or artery for a period of time sufficient to result in a persistent increase in the overall diameter and lumen diameter of the vessel is provided. The blood pump system includes a blood pump, blood conduit(s), a control system with optional sensors, and a power source. The pump system is configured to connect to the vascular system in a patient and pump blood at a desired rate and pulsatility. The pumping of blood is monitored and adjusted, as necessary, to maintain the desired elevated blood speed, wall shear stress, and desired pulsatility in the target vessel to optimize the rate and extent of persistent increase in the overall diameter and lumen diameter of the target vessel.

A system and method monitoring conditions of a subject's body including a control unit receiving image data and data indicative of an external stimulation applied to the body during collection of the image data therefrom, a memory utility, and a processor utility. The image data is indicative of a sequence of speckle patterns generated by the body according to a certain sampling time pattern. The processor utility performs processing the image data utilizing the data indicative of the applied external field(s), including determining a spatial correlation function between successive speckle patterns in the sequence, and determining a time varying spatial correlation function in the form of a time-varying function of a feature of the correlation function indicative of a change of the speckle pattern over time; selecting a parameter of the time-varying spatial correlation function, and applying a model to the parameter to determine a corresponding body condition; and generating output data indicative of the corresponding body condition.

Systems and methods are disclosed for estimating patient-specific blood flow characteristics. One method includes acquiring, for each of a plurality of individuals, a geometric model and estimated blood flow characteristics of at least part of the individual's vascular system; executing a machine learning algorithm on the geometric model and estimated blood flow characteristics for each of the plurality of individuals; identifying, using the machine learning algorithm, features predictive of blood flow characteristics corresponding to a plurality of points in the geometric models; acquiring, for a patient, a geometric model of at least part of the patient's vascular system; and using the identified features to produce estimates of the patient's blood flow characteristic for each of a plurality of points in the patient's geometric model.