Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging coil structure includes a main magnetic field generating magnet, a gradient magnetic field generating coil, a shield, a magnetic field correcting shim plate and a transmission coil stacked in this order. At least the shield and the transmission coil are integrally formed with a joint portion made of a material including FRP that maintains a constant distance between the shield and the transmission coil.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is a detector array for a computed tomographic imaging system having a z-direction corresponding to an image slice thickness direction and that is arc-shaped in a direction transverse to the z-direction. The detector array has a plurality of detector modules configured so that the detector array has active regions of differing thicknesses. This detector array embodiment provides an optimized detector array for certain imaging situations, for example, in cardiac imaging applications in which increased coverage is required only in a relatively small central portion of a field of view.

Abstract: The present invention, in one form, includes a digital x-ray imaging system which, in one embodiment, collects projection data from a plurality of views and reduces artifacts caused by detector residual signals. More specifically and in one embodiment, volumetric images are generated by collecting projection data for a plurality of views. During inactive periods between the collection of projection data for adjacent views, the x-ray emission is stopped and each detector pixel is simultaneously energized to reduce a residual signal of each pixel. As a result, projection data for a subsequent view is not biased by the residual signal from a previous view.

Abstract: In order for an operator to perceive a lock completion of the mechanical connection between a connector of an ultrasonic probe and a socket of an ultrasonic diagnostic equipment main body, the following structure is provided. In the ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, the ultrasonic probe includes a connector portion having a lock mechanism (a cam shaft penetrating a connector, a conductive movable contact/lock pin projecting from the cam shaft, and a connector lock releasing handle), and an ultrasonic probe main body. The ultrasonic diagnostic equipment main body includes a socket having connection hole H for connecting the connector, a locking confirming contact points for conducting by being in contact with the movable contact/lock pin as the connection with the connector being mechanically locked, LED for illuminating under conduction, and a safety circuit for allowing for starting scanning when conducting.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for in-field communication connectivity initialization and verification 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 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: For the purpose of eliminating a problem that a good harmonic image cannot be obtained due to the tail of a fundamental component of previous received data intruding into a fundamental component of current received data; in the operation in a harmonic mode according to a phase inversion technique, a first ultrasonic pulse is sequentially transmitted to a plurality of foci on the same acoustic line, and a second ultrasonic pulse of a phase opposite to that of the first ultrasonic pulse is sequentially transmitted to the plurality of foci on the same acoustic line.

Abstract: For the purpose of providing an RF coil that prevents a troublesome force from arising when a hanging portion is lifted up, a pair of handhold members 308 is provided along a side that corresponds to an inner side of a cylinder 110, each member extending from one end to the other end of one of a pair of flexible substrates 304 so that an operator can lift the hanging portion up using such handhold member.

Abstract: In order to facilitate ultrasonic imaging in a proper condition, a correlation value is calculated between a new image frame and a previous image frame each time the new image frame is obtained; and the acoustic line density of a scan is increased/decreased, the dynamic range of echo reception is enlarged/reduced, and the frame averaging intensity of an image frame is raised/lowered in response to an increase/decrease of the correlation value.

Abstract: A method for rapid extraction and visualization of relevant data from a volume of image data includes rapidly producing reduced-fidelity images derived from an image volume, the reduced fidelity images having an adjustable visual parameter; adjusting the visual parameter of the reduced-fidelity images during the rapid production to select a desired adjustment; producing a full-fidelity image derived from the image volume; and applying the selected adjustment to the full-fidelity image.

Abstract: In one form, the present invention is a method for rapidly resampling a three-dimensional volume of data to permit efficient interactive viewing and visualization of the data is provided in which a set of parallel line segments defining a surface having a constant slope in at least one direction and intersecting the three-dimensional volume are selected and the data is processed at points on the parallel line segments to generate a reformatted image of the data. A corresponding apparatus embodiment is provided. Processing of data can proceed quickly because it is not necessary to check the parallel line segments during processing of the points on the segments to determine whether the points are within a given data volume.

Abstract: A system and method of medical imaging is designed to reduce a patient's X-ray exposure during scanning based upon patient size and task dependency. The system includes receiving a task and patient size dependency input and determining threshold levels based on the received inputs to separate imaging data into a number of projection sets for further image processing and reconstruction of an image. Each projection set can then be independently processed based on the type of task and/or the patient size to allow reduced and modified X-ray doses dependent on the task and/or specific patient to be scanned.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for determining and displaying a helical artifact index to a system operator are provided. The HAI is determined by acquiring and processing imaging data of a phantom. The HAI is then displayed to the operator on a console so that the operator may, if necessary, reset the scanning parameters or select a new scanning protocol that will result in a reconstructed image of a subject having reduced artifact presence. By providing a likelihood of artifact presence to the system operator, the present invention eliminates the need for the operator to recall those scanning profiles that are susceptible to high artifact presence.

Abstract: A method is described for evaluating substance scoring, the scoring based on imaging system-generated images of an object having regions of interest due to possible presence of the substance, the method including the steps of simulating the regions of interest using a phantom having a plurality of volumes, each volume having dimensions simulating dimensions of a region of interest, each volume having a density representative of a substance density; generating images of the phantom; scoring the substance based on the phantom images; and comparing results of the substance scoring to expected phantom-image results. The above-described phantom and method allow a scoring system user to verify substance scoring accuracy and to compare scores resulting from different imaging systems, scanning methods and reconstruction algorithms.

Abstract: A review and analyze protocol is described. The protocol comprises the steps of performing a patient scan to collect scan data to be used in generating an image, performing at least one of a single exam review and a dual exam review of images generated using the scan data, and analyzing an area of interest identified in performing the exam review.

Abstract: For the purpose of removing an effect of window processing in window-processing time-domain Doppler signals, translating them to a frequency domain, and then translating them back to the time domain, when cutting signals of a predetermined length from a time-domain Doppler signal; performing window processing on the cut signals; transforming the window-processed signals into frequency-domain signals by Fourier transformation; inversely transforming the frequency-domain signals by inverse Fourier transformation into a time-domain signal after performing predefined processing on the signals; and outputting the time-domain signal as an acoustic signal, the window processing is performed using a window having a profile with a flat top; and the cutting from the Doppler signal is performed such that a former cut signal and a latter cut signal overlap in a portion corresponding to the flat portion of the window.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system having an apparatus and method for providing appropriately located MR images acquired using a surface coil is disclosed herein. The system includes a controller configured to automatically synchronize a position of an image acquisition plane with respect to a position of the surface coil. To perform the synchronization, the system further includes a monitoring apparatus to monitor at least one of the position of the image acquisition plane and the surface coil.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for communications connectivity failure diagnosis that includes receiving a connectivity failure notice at an on-line center indicative of a communications failure between the on-line center and an in-field product, such as a medical diagnostic device. A software-based non-connect test is manually initiated to confirm a communications failure between the on-line center and the in-field product. Once the communications failure is confirmed, the communications failure is diagnosed by isolating the communications failure through use of the non-connect test and identifying a failure type which indicates what portion of the system failed. The method includes reporting the communications failure for repair, and once repaired, the system conducts a series of tests to confirm proper connectivity and logs the results therefrom.

Abstract: In order to provide an electronic device permitting a reduction in size or an expansion of its internal space while maintaining its mechanical strength, a structure having mechanical strength is integrally formed with hinges for fitting a lid-shaped display unit to a box-shaped body and a carrying handle projecting outward from the box-shaped body.

Abstract: In order to inhibit blooming and prevent degradation in the capability of projecting thin blood vessels, the luminance basically increases as power P becomes high. However, when there are two sampling points identical in power P but different in variance V in a region low in power P (P≦P1), the luminance of a pixel corresponding to the sampling point relatively large in variance is set higher than that of a pixel corresponding to the sampling point relatively small in variance V.

Abstract: A method and apparatus-are disclosed for achieving suppression of blood pool signal to detect myocardial infarction using MR technology. An RF pulse sequence is applied that includes a notched inversion RF pulse designed to suppress blood pool in and around a region-of-interest. MR data is then acquired within the region-of-interest that not only has signals from normal myocardial tissue suppressed, but also has blood pool signal suppression to improve delineation of infarcted myocardium from the ventricular blood pool and normal myocardium.