SCANNABLE OPTICAL IDENTIFIER FOR USE WITH IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES

Abstract

Apparatus for identifying a patient, said apparatus comprising: a medical device for implantation into the patient; an optical identifier affixed to the device; wherein at least a portion of the optical identifier is radiopaque, whereby to generate a scannable X-ray image of the optical identifier when the medical device is imaged using X-ray.

Claims

1. Apparatus for identifying a patient, said apparatus comprising: a medical device for implantation into the patient; an optical identifier affixed to said device; wherein at least a portion of said optical identifier is radiopaque, whereby to generate a scannable X-ray image of said optical identifier when said medical device is imaged using X-ray.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said optical identifier comprises a QR code.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said optical identifier is affixed to a removable element of said medical device.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said removable element comprises the battery of said medical device.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said optical identifier comprises a radiopaque material and a radio-transmissive material.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said radiopaque material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of tantalum, gold and iridium.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said optical identifier comprises a sticker which is affixed to said medical device.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said optical identifier is affixed directly onto said medical device.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said optical identifier is affixed to a flag which is mounted to said medical device.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said medical device comprises a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED).

11. A method for identifying a patient using an implanted medical device, said method comprising: providing an implanted medical device comprising: a medical device for implantation into the patient; an optical identifier affixed to said device; wherein at least a portion of said optical identifier is radiopaque, whereby to generate a scannable X-ray image of said optical identifier when said medical device is imaged using X-ray; using an X-ray source to scan said implanted medical device, whereby to generate a scannable X-ray image of said optical identifier; and using a scanner to scan said scannable X-ray image, whereby to scan said optical identifier; wherein scanning said optical identifier produces information which can link said radiopaque optical identifier to a database, and further wherein the patient can be identified by looking up said information in said database.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said optical identifier comprises a QR code.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein said optical identifier is affixed to a removable element of said medical device.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein said removable element comprises the battery of said medical device.

15. A method according to claim 11 wherein said optical identifier comprises a radiopaque material and a radio-transmissive material.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said radiopaque material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of tantalum, gold and iridium.

17. A method according to claim 11 wherein said optical identifier comprises a sticker which is affixed to said medical device.

18. A method according to claim 11 wherein said optical identifier is affixed directly onto said medical device.

19. A method according to claim 11 wherein said optical identifier is affixed to a flag which is mounted to said medical device.

20. A method according to claim 11 wherein said medical device comprises a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED). ROSS-0102

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] These and other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which is to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts, and further wherein:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a novel optical identifier formed in accordance with the present invention being applied to an implantable medical device which is implanted into a patient;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing how the novel optical identifier of FIG. 1 can be scanned so as to generate an X-ray image; and

[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing how a handheld scanner may be used to scan the X-ray image of FIG. 2 so as to obtain implant-specific and/or patient-specific information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The present invention comprises the provision and use of a novel optical identifier which can be visualized using common X-ray equipment so as to generate a scannable X-ray image that can be scanned using a common hand-held device (e.g., a smartphone, PDA, etc.), whereby to provide implant-specific and/or patient-specific information to a healthcare provider.

[0028] Looking first at FIG. 1, there is shown a novel optical identifier 5 which may be applied to an implantable medical device. Optical identifier 5 preferably comprises an optically-scannable “code” comprising regions of radiopaque material 10 (e.g., the “uncolored” regions of a QR code) and regions of radio-transmissive material 15 (e.g., the “black” regions of a QR code) as the QR code appears on an X-ray image, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. In one preferred form of the invention, radiopaque material 10 comprises a 3D printed metal such as gold or tantalum.

[0029] For purposes of clarity, optical identifier 5 will hereinafter sometimes be referred to as a Quick Reference code, or “QR code”, however, it should be appreciated that substantially any optically-scannable identifier may be used with the present invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure. By way of example but not limitation, optical identifier 5 may comprise linear bar codes, Data Matrix codes, Quickmark codes, Beetagg codes, Microsoft Tag codes, Trillcode codes, Aztec codes, Shotcode codes, Portable Data Format (PDF) codes, etc.

[0030] Optical identifier 5 is preferably affixed onto (or printed onto, or stamped onto, or formed onto, etc.) an element 20 of an implantable medical device 25. Element 20 of implantable medical device 25 preferably comprises a portion of implantable medical device 25 having a substantially uniform opacity when imaged using X-rays, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. To this end, element 20 preferably comprises a single material, having a uniform thickness at the point where optical identifier 5 is affixed to element 20. In one preferred form of the invention, element 20 of implantable medical device 25 comprises the battery of a cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED). Affixing optical identifier 5 to a battery is desirable since the battery typically comprises a material having a substantially constant density, and thereby provides a substantially constant background for visualizing optical identifier 5 on an X-ray scan, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. In this form of the invention, optical identifier 5 is preferably printed onto a sticker (or other adhesive) which is then affixed to the battery of the implantable medical device (i.e., to element 20 of implantable medical device 25). It will also be appreciated that it may be advantageous to affix optical identifier 5 to the battery of an implantable medical device in order to allow an optical identifier 5 to be added to an implantable medical device which has previously lacked an optical identifier 5 (i.e., so that the optical identifier is provided to the implanted medical device when the battery is replaced).

[0031] Alternatively, if desired, optical identifier 5 may be affixed to a tag which extends away from implantable medical device 25 (e.g., in the manner of a “flag”).

[0032] Implantable medical device 25 is implanted into a patient 30 such that optical identifier 5 lies beneath the skin of the patient (i.e., such that optical identifier 5 is not viewable to the naked eye).

[0033] Looking next at FIG. 2, if a healthcare provider desires to visualize optical identifier 5 after implantable medical device 25 has been implanted into patient 30, an X-ray source 35 may be used to pass X-ray beams through patient 30 such that the X-ray beams are detected by a detector 40, whereby to generate an X-ray image 45. It will be appreciated that inasmuch as radiopaque material 10 blocks (or attenuates) the passage of X-rays through the regions of optical identifier 5 comprising radiopaque material 10, the portions of optical identifier 5 comprising radiopaque material 10 appear comparatively lighter (e.g., “uncolored”) on X-ray image 45 than the portions of optical identifier 5 comprising radio-transmissive material 15 (which allows X-rays to pass through with less attenuation and therefore appears darker, e.g., “black” on X-ray image 45). As a result, optical identifier 5 can be easily readable on X-ray image 45 for scanning by a handheld scanner, as will hereinafter be discussed.

[0034] After generating X-ray image 45, and looking now at FIG. 3, a healthcare provider can use a common handheld scanner 50 (e.g., a smartphone, a PDA, a barcode/QR code scanner, etc.) to scan the image of optical identifier 5 appearing on X-ray image 45. Alternatively, the optical identifier 5 can be digitally scanned (i.e., automatically, using a computer program).

[0035] Optical identifier 5 may be configured to contain information about implantable medical device 25 (e.g., a serial number, lot number, operating information, etc.) and/or optical identifier 5 may be configured to contain patient-specific information and/or link directly to a patient's medical record.

[0036] By way of example but not limitation, optical identifier 5 may comprise a QR code which incorporates a universal resource locator (URL) which links to a secured website (e.g., which automatically re-directs handheld scanner 50 to an implant-specific and/or patient-specific URL that contains information about the implantable medical device 25 and/or the patient.

[0037] By way of example but not limitation, optical identifier 5 could link to an internal or external site (e.g., a website) 55 which could, in turn, link to one or more databases (e.g., a database 60 containing implant-specific data, a database 65 containing patient-specific data, a database 70 containing a patient medical record, etc). If desired, a patient may be able to control access to information retained on external (or internal) site 55, e.g., via a password-protected URL.

[0038] In this way, optical identifier 5 can allow a healthcare provider to access implant information and/or critical patient information (e.g., allergies, medications, next of kin, baseline EKG, etc.) using only a common, widely-available X-ray equipment and a common, widely-available handheld scanner, thereby avoiding the need for direct physical access to implantable medical device 25 or device-specific electronic equipment (e.g., “programmers”).

[0039] Optical identifier 5 may also be used to provide information which could be used to directly control the implantable medical device 25. By way of example but not limitation, optical identifier 5 could take the place of a traditional RFID within the implantable medical device 25, or optical identifier 5 could work in conjunction with the RFID as part of a two-factor authentication process. Alternatively and/or additionally, optical identifier 5 could serve as a backup to the RFID included with implantable medical device 25, should the RFID element of the implantable medical device became nonfunctional. In addition, if desired, an identical optical identifier 5 could be printed on a physical “implant card” that is carried by the patient, so as provide a backup in a situation where optical identifier 5 becomes unreadable on an X-ray image due to interference/damage.

[0040] It will be appreciated that the provision and use of optical identifier 5 on an implantable medical device provides numerous benefits in addition to those discussed above.

[0041] By way of example but not limitation, optical identifier 5 may be configured to link to a patient medical record, whereby to provide information to a healthcare provider even when the patient is unconscious or non-responsive. For example, if a patient has a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) such as a pacemaker, and the patient collapses outside their home (e.g., while running, while at the gym, etc.), the patient may be unable to provide any identifying information to emergency personnel. However, when a routine chest X-ray is thereafter performed (e.g., in the emergency department, as is typical for such a medical event), optical identifier 5 could be viewed on the X-ray image generated, and thereafter scanned by a healthcare provider, so as to provide the healthcare provider with information about the cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) or about the patient (e.g., via a URL that links to a patient medical record), thereby facilitating treatment of the patient.

[0042] In addition, as discussed above, optical identifier 5 preferably comprises an optically-scannable pattern comprising a radiopaque material 10 and a radio-transmissive material 15. If desired, radiopaque material 10 may comprise an iridium-based ink or film which may be printed on implantable medical device 25. Iridium is a rare earth metal with many unique properties (e.g., it is extremely dense and has a high periodic number). These properties make it one of the most radiopaque elements and therefore an ideal candidate for use with medical imaging (e.g., X-ray imaging).

[0043] In addition to placing optical identifier 5 on implantable medical device 25, a second (e.g., identical or different) optical identifier (e.g., a iridium-based optical identifier) could be affixed to the outside of the patient's body, such that both optical identifier 5 and the second optical identifier can be visualized on the same X-ray image. By way of example but not limitation, the second optical identifier could comprise a patch or sticker worn by all patients who will be receiving multiple chest x-rays (e.g., patients on ventilators). The utility of this application would be as a post-test safeguard against inadvertent switching of X-ray films with another patient. The second optical identifier may be placed on the patient's back, outside the area of the ribcage so as not to interfere with the critical part of the film.

Modifications of the Preferred Embodiments

[0044] It should be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the present invention, may be made by those skilled in the art while still remaining within the principles and scope of the invention.