Abstract: A multistage pump assembly includes a manifold having an inlet port configured to be coupled to a supply pipe and an outlet port configured to be coupled to a discharge pipe. The inlet and outlet ports define an end suction, radial outlet port configuration. The pump assembly also includes a cartridge having a sleeve and plurality of pumping stages that define a pump stack received within the sleeve. An outer chamber is defined between the pump stack and the sleeve. Each of the pumping stages includes an impeller mounted along a pump shaft that rotates about a rotation axis. The cartridge is aligned horizontally such that the rotation axis is substantially horizontal. An end plate is positioned between the manifold and the cartridge and includes at least one cartridge engagement surface supporting the cartridge. The end plate is removably coupled to the manifold.

Abstract: A multi-modality imaging system includes a first imaging system and a second imaging system that is different from the first imaging system. The first and second imaging systems are slidingly mounted on at least one rail. A table has a movable pallet configured to extend through a scan range of the first imaging system while the first and second imaging systems are positioned proximate each other at one position along the at least one rail. The pallet is further configured to extend through a scan range of the second imaging system while the first and second imaging systems are positioned proximate each other at a different position along the at least one rail. At least a portion of the scan ranges overlap each other.

Abstract: An x-ray grid alignment circuit for coupling an x-ray grid to a detector includes a marker configured to be mounted to the x-ray grid, a sensor configured to be mounted to the detector, the sensor generating an alignment signal based on a position of the marker, and an alignment module configured to receive the alignment signal from the sensor and utilize the alignment signal to determine if the x-ray grid is coupled to a detecting face of the detector. A detector assembly including the x-ray grid alignment circuit and a method of coupling an x-ray grid to a detector are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for visualization of an ultrasound probe relative to an object are provided. The system includes an ultrasound probe configured to acquire ultrasound data. The system further includes a display configured to display an ultrasound image based on the ultrasound data and a graphical representation of the ultrasound probe in combination with the ultrasound image.

Abstract: A removable pallet configured to be mounted to a patient table. The patient table has a table surface adapted to support patients thereon during a medical procedure or imaging session. The removable pallet includes a support body having a runway configured to slidably engage a transfer board carrying a patient. The support body extends along a longitudinal axis and is configured to be mounted over the table surface of the patient table. The removable pallet also includes a coupling device that is configured to removably couple the support body and the patient table. The coupling device secures the support body over the table surface to permit the transfer board to be moved onto the patient table.

Abstract: A method is provided for synchronizing corresponding landmarks among a plurality of images of an elastic object. The method includes identifying a plurality of landmarks in a first image of the object and a second image of the object, determining a correspondence between the landmarks in the first image and the landmarks in the second image, determining a distance transformation between a pair of adjacent landmarks in the first image and the corresponding pair of adjacent landmarks in the second image, and when displaying the first and second images, using the distance transformation to smoothly navigate between the adjacent landmarks such that corresponding landmarks of the first and second images are arrived at about simultaneously during navigation.

Abstract: A cyclotron that includes a magnet yoke having a yoke body that surrounds an acceleration chamber. The cyclotron also includes a magnet assembly to produce magnetic fields to direct charged particles along a desired path. The magnet assembly is located in the acceleration chamber. The magnetic fields propagate through the acceleration chamber and within the magnet yoke, wherein a portion of the magnetic fields escapes outside of the magnet yoke as stray fields. The cyclotron also includes a vacuum pump that is coupled to the yoke body. The vacuum pump is configured to introduce a vacuum into the acceleration chamber. The magnet yoke is dimensioned such that the vacuum pump does not experience magnetic fields in excess of 75 Gauss.

Abstract: A method for enhancing images of an object includes registering a fixed image with cine images of the same object. Next, the fixed image and the cine images are transformed into frequency space representations thereof. A central portion of the frequency space cine images are merged with a peripheral portion of frequency space fixed image using a defined normalized response curve or a predefined normalized response curve (or both) to form a merged image. Finally, the method includes inversely transforming the merged image into enhanced cine images of the object.

Abstract: A ground support system configured to support servicing of aircraft may include a main body housing one or both of an engine and/or a blower, a control panel that is used to control operation of one or both of the engine and/or blower, and at least one acoustic wave engagement member positioned on the control panel. The acoustic wave member(s) is configured to selectively activate and deactivate an engine or blower function when touched by an operator. The acoustic wave engagement member(s) operates in the presence of moisture and debris.

Abstract: Hemodynamic data and imaging data are obtained about a patient, and the data is combined to generate a single report integrating same. While a hemodynamic system obtains the hemodynamic data, an imaging system obtains the imaging data. Preferably, the report confirms the absence or presence (and/or severity) of peripheral arterial disease, including quantitative data. The hemodynamic system and the imaging system can communicate directly, indirectly, and/or wirelessly. They may be contained within a common enclosure and/or integrated into a single apparatus. Either or both of the hemodynamic system and/or the imaging system can also be configured to measure the blood pressure of the patient. Preferably, the imaging system is an ultrasound imaging system, and improved workflows for diagnosing peripheral arterial disease result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for horizontally slicing a multi-stage switching fabric having transmission inputs and transmission outputs to and from the switch fabric. The switching fabric includes switch elements arranged in at least first and second stages, each switch element having element inputs and outputs with each switch element being configured to join one of the element inputs with an associated one of the element outputs. The switch fabric includes a first logic device that contains a stage-1 subset of the switch elements that is arranged within, and configured to operate as part of, the first stage. The first logic device also contains a stage-2 subset of the switch elements arranged within, and configured to operate as part of, the second stage. The switch fabric includes a second logic device that contains a stage-1 subset of the switch elements that is arranged within, and configured to operate as part of, the first stage.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing an image using an imaging apparatus that includes a radiation source, a detector array, and a computer. The method includes performing a helical scan of an object at a selected helical pitch using the radiation source and detector array to obtain image data, and reconstructing an image of the object utilizing the computer programmed to perform a hybrid cone beam image reconstruction having ray-wise 3D weighting, wherein the weighting is dependent upon both helical pitch and z-distance.

Abstract: An acoustical stack for use within an ultrasound transducer that has a center frequency has a poled piezoelectric material layer and at least one impedance matching layer. The poled piezoelectric material layer has top and bottom sides and is formed of poled piezoelectric material that has a first acoustic impedance. The poled piezoelectric material layer has a first thickness and the acoustical stack has an output electrical impedance based on the first thickness. The impedance matching layers are configured to be attached to the top and bottom sides of the poled piezoelectric material layer and have second or third thicknesses. The impedance matching layers are formed of one or more materials that have an acoustic impedance substantially similar to the first acoustic impedance. The poled piezoelectric layer and impedance matching layers form an acoustic resonance thickness. The center frequency of the transducer is based on the acoustic resonance thickness.

Abstract: Ultrasound transducer comprises an array of elements forming rows and columns and wires within a transducer cable configured to connect at least a portion of the elements to an ultrasound system. The array comprises a central row and at least first and second outer rows positioned along opposite sides of the central row. First set of lines electrically connects elements within a first portion of the central row to one of the wires. First portion comprises less than a total number of elements within the central row. Second set of lines electrically connects at least a portion of the elements within first and second outer rows that are in the same column and electrically connects elements within a second portion of the central row to elements that are in the same column. Each line within the second set of lines is connected to one of the wires.

Abstract: A method for determining the effectiveness of an image transformation process includes acquiring a four-dimensional (4D) image data set, sorting the 4D image data set into separate field-of-view bins using a temporal gating system generating a plurality of deformation vectors using the sorted 4D image data set, and using the plurality of deformation vectors to generate a transformation effectiveness value that is representative of the effectiveness of the image transformation process. The method further includes acquiring a respiratory signal, calculating a power spectrum of the respiratory signal, calculating a power spectrum for each of the plurality of deformation vectors, and comparing the power spectrum of the respiratory signal to the power spectrum of the plurality of deformation vectors to generate the transformation effectiveness value.

Abstract: An apparatus for examining a patient is provided. The apparatus includes a top plate, at least one top rail slideably coupled to said top plate, said top plate selectively positionable between a first imaging position and a second imaging position along an examination axis, a support member coupled to said at least one top rail, said support member configured to selectively change a position of said top plate along an axis perpendicular to said examination axis, said support member comprises at least one guide pin slideably coupled to said at least one rail during movement of said support member, said guide pin configured to retain said support member to said at least one top rail when said top rail is moved between a first modality position and a second modality position.

Abstract: A method for processing computed tomography (CT) datasets comprises identifying regions of interest (ROIs) within a CT dataset is provided. The ROIs are ranked based on a comparison to at least one predetermined parameter. The ranking determines a level of importance for the ROIs with respect to each other. A list of the ROIs is provided on a display, the list indicating the ROIs based on an associated level of importance. The ROIs are selectable with a user interface.

Abstract: A graphical user interface and method allows a user to interactively select an arterial input function. An anatomical image and time-course data corresponding to a selected region of interest are displayed simultaneously. The time-course data is displayed as an array of graphs, annotated with best-fit curves and parameters derived from fitting the time-course data. The region displayed in the graphs may be updated by panning and zooming with a mouse in the image. Time-course data corresponding to a graph is selected for use in deriving an arterial input function. The arterial input function is used to calculate maps of hemodynamic parameters.

Abstract: A gamma camera for use in a molecular imaging system includes a housing, a cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) camera disposed within the housing, and at least one retractable wall coupled to the housing and adapted to secure an anatomy of interest in a field-of-view of the gamma camera. The gamma camera also includes a chamfered edge to enable the gamma camera to contact a second gamma camera when the gamma camera is positioned in an L-mode imaging configuration.

Abstract: A method for determining weights (or coefficients) for synthesizing k-space data for autocalibrated parallel imaging (API) combines training data sets (including k-space data such as autocalibrating signals (ACS)) acquired at multiple successive time points. Combining training data sets from multiple successive time points together to determine a set of weights increases the accuracy of the calculated weights. The weights may be applied to k-space data from a single or multiple time points. The method retains the phase information of the individual time point images and may thus be applied, for example, to phase-sensitive multi-point imaging such as chemical species separation studies.