Abstract: In order to allow easy estimation of the operating condition of a magnet by a technician of any skill level, and to allow accurate prediction of a potential failure beforehand, a data processing section 52 is provided for resolving pressure data for a cooling helium gas, level (remaining amount) data for a liquid helium, first temperature data for a first stage of a refrigerator, second temperature data for a second stage of the refrigerator, and third temperature (room temperature) data for an equipment room 13 in which a compressor 40 is placed, as prespecified parameters, into a plurality of elements, using the elements as magnet data, calculating the Mahalanobis distance D2 of the normalized magnet data, and comparing the calculated Mahalanobis distance D2 with data stored in a database 53 obtained by developing magnet data in a normal condition into a Mahalanobis reference space to estimate the operating condition.

Abstract: For the purpose of improve rendering capability for a blood vessel, an MR. image producing method comprises: window-processing MR signals using a window function f(k) that has a “value less than one” at a center (O) and in its proximate region in a k-space and on a periphery and in its proximate region in the k-space, and has a value larger than the “value less than one” between the regions in which the window function has the “value less than one;” and applying Fourier-transformation processing to the window-processed MR signals to obtain an MR image.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing an image of an object includes generating a plurality of projection data, helically interpolating the projection data, rebinning the helically interpolated projection data from a fan-beam format to a parallel-beam format, and reconstructing an image of the object using the parallel-beam format projection data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a detector for a CT system. The detector includes a scintillator with built-in gain for receiving and converting high frequency electromagnetic energy to light. Each scintillator is formed of a scintillating material and an optically stimulated material. The components may be intermixed with one another to form a single composite structure or formed into layers to form a single layered structure. The scintillator may be incorporated into the detector array of any CT system including medical diagnostic systems and package/baggage inspection systems.

Abstract: The present invention aims at making it possible to successfully achieve fast recovery during magnetic resonance imaging in which the fast spin echo technique combined with the inversion recovery technique is implemented. A 180° x pulse is applied in order to excite spins. Thereafter, when an inversion time TI has elapsed, a 90° x pulse is applied in order to excite the spins. Thereafter, when a half of a time esp has elapsed, a 180° y pulse is applied in order to excite the spins. Thereafter, when the time esp has elapsed, the 180° y pulse is applied an odd number of times in order to sequentially excite the spins. Thereafter, when a half of the time esp has elapsed, the 90° x pulse is applied in order to excite the spins.

Abstract: According to various aspects of the invention, a transducer is manufactured by providing a substrate assembly, making major element cuts in the substrate assembly in a first direction, making minor element cuts in the substrate assembly in a second direction, positioning a plurality of signal lines (such as a flex circuit) on the substrate assembly such that the plurality of signal lines is aligned with said minor element cuts, and making major element cuts in the substrate assembly in the second direction after said plurality of signal lines is positioned.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for in-field communication connectivity verification reporting between centralized on-line centers, and a number of in-field subscribing stations. The substations each have associated therewith an in-field product controlled by software which requires periodic upgrading, maintenance, service, and general monitoring. The system and method includes a computer program and a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for carrying out the process, which includes submitting customer and product data, and a user selected mode of notification of completion electronically to a centralized on-line center, which in turn creates a configuration module based on the submitted customer and product data. The configuration module is then transmitted to the subscribing station by the on-line center. The configuration module is loaded into the subscribing station to allow future communications between the on-line center and the subscribing station.

Abstract: A method for operating a radiation source includes providing a radiation source, providing a detector, and operating the radiation source and the detector such that the detector receives a substantially homogenous noise distribution.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing an image of an object utilizing a computed tomographic (CT) imaging system is provided. The CT system includes a radiation source and a multislice detector array on a rotating gantry, with the radiation source configured to project a beam of radiation through an object and towards. the multislice detector array. The multislice detector array is configured to sense attenuation of the radiation passing through the object. The method for reconstructing an image includes helically scanning an object with a computed tomographic imaging system to acquire a plurality of views of projection data at a plurality of gantry angles and a plurality of cone angles, generating a plurality of cone angle dependent weights that are inversely correlated to an absolute value of a cone angle, and weighting the projection data using the cone angle dependent weights.

Abstract: In order to reduce the number of components to achieve size reduction of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 101 is provided with a power supply section 3 comprised of a bias power supply 4 for generating a bias voltage and a driving power supply 5 for generating a driving voltage using the bias voltage. The bias voltage is higher than the driving voltage. Since the driving power supply 5 merely generates a lower voltage based upon a higher voltage, it is simpler in configuration and smaller in size than the conventional type that independently generates the voltages.

Abstract: For the purpose of reducing exposure of a subject to unnecessary radiation by controlling the tube current according to the X-ray emitting direction with respect to a region to be examined in the subject, a transmission area S is calculated from a cross-sectional plane (S801) and an ellipticity R is calculated for the cross-sectional plane (S802, S803). An image SD of a region having the transmission area S is then calculated (S804), and a SD ratio of a region having the ellipticity R is calculated (S805). An image SD of a region having the transmission area S and ellipticity R is then calculated using the image SD and the SD ratio (S806).

Abstract: For the purposes of improving stability of an RF system, improving efficiency of cooling, and fully retaining an examination region in an MRI apparatus, a lower first-direction RF coil and an upper first-direction RF coil are connected to form a first-direction electromagnetic wave transmitting/receiving section, and a lower second-direction RF coil and an upper second-direction RE coil are connected to form a second-direction electromagnetic wave transmitting/receiving section, so that the phase of electromagnetic waves in two orthogonal directions is controlled by a 2-channel phase control section. Moreover, coil elements for the RF coils are disposed inside an examination region, control devices are disposed outside the examination region, and cooling sections are disposed near the control devices.

Abstract: A MRI RF coil for use on a human leg having a knee, ankle and foot. The coil includes a knee coil section and a foot/ankle coil section. The sections are configurable into a boot-like structure.

Abstract: The present invention is, in one embodiment, a method for efficiently and reliably communicating button presses electronically on a network from one or more push button nodes each having at least one push button, to a master node. This method includes steps of: generating status messages indicative of a push button states at each of push button node; communicating the status messages to the master node via the network; determining, at the master node, the state of the push buttons at each of the push button nodes from the communicated status messages; and triggering a response of the master node, in accordance with the statuses of the push buttons determined from the communicated status messages.

Abstract: A method of resampling medical imaging data from a first spatial distribution of data points onto a second spatial distribution of data points. The method includes determining a matrix of coefficients for resampling data from the second spatial distribution onto the first spatial distribution and inverting a matrix based on the matrix of coefficients to determine forward resampling coefficients for resampling data from the first spatial distribution to the second spatial distribution. Then, resampling data from the first spatial distribution onto the second spatial distribution using the forward resampling coefficients.

Abstract: The present invention, in one form, is a system for simultaneously displaying an image object generated from an imaging system and a graphical object so that each object is fully visible. More specifically, after generating the image object, a graphical object is generated having a partial opacity value. The image object and graphical object are then sorted and combined so that the graphical object is in front of, or overlays, the image object without blocking or obscuring the information included in the image object. Particularly, a final image is generated by combining a destination value for components of each object.

Abstract: In order to obtain an image with artifacts suppressed when a helical scan is conducted employing a multi-row detector with a scan plane tilted, preprocessing such as sensitivity correction is applied to data collected by a helical scan employing a multi-row detector with a scan plane tilted (S1), tilt correcting processing is applied for correcting view-to-view variation of the positions of channels in the detector rows relative to an axis of translation due to the tilt of the scan plane (S2), multi-slice/helical interpolation processing is applied for calculating interpolated data from proximate data in an image reconstruction plane (S3), and backprojection processing is applied to the interpolated data to produce an image (S4).

Abstract: A puncturing needle guide includes a plate-like body whose width diminishes gradually from one end thereof to the other end thereof; a plurality of holes which are formed in an end surface of the puncturing needle guide at one end thereof and through which a puncturing needle can be passed; a single hole which is formed in an end surface of the puncturing needle guide at the other end thereof and through which the puncturing needle can be passed; a hollow that is formed inside the plate-like body and that allows the plurality of holes and the single hole to communicate with one another; and an attachment which is formed along an edge of the plate-like body in a width direction thereof and by which the plate-like body is attached to an ultrasonic probe.

Abstract: For the purpose of improving monitor display condition operating ease and enabling easy display of an arbitrary site, an ultrasonic image based on an echo signal received by an ultrasonic probe 3 is produced by an image producing section 12, a display area is formed on a screen by a display area forming section 17, a displayed range of the ultrasonic image to be displayed in the display area is selected by a displayed range selecting section 14, and scrolling of a selected range and rotation of the displayed range are achieved by a displayed range moving section 15 and a displayed range rotating section 16, respectively, based on a position on the monitor screen specified by the pointing device 3.

Abstract: For the purpose of efficiently correcting a quadratic term component of a static magnetic field, when an inhomogeneity error of a static magnetic field generated by a pair of magnets supported by yokes so that the magnets face each other across a space is to be corrected, a quadratic term component of the static magnetic field is corrected by a quadratic term component of a magnetic field generated by a pair of circular loop coils, and a zero-th order term component of the magnetic field from the pair of circular loop coils is compensated by a zero-th order term component of a magnetic field generated by coils wound around the yokes.