Abstract: An inflatable artificial muscle for manipulating a flexible elongated instrument such as a medical endoscope that advantageously utilizes fluid pressure to facilitate insertion into a tortuous passage and maneuver of the instrument is described herein. The inflatable artificial muscle comprises a hollow cylinder-like bladder with a lumen or a plurality of such bladders joined end to end for receiving an elongated instrument. The bladder volume is divided into a plurality of chambers of varying configurations, which are in fluid communications with one another. There is provided a plurality of supply tubes for supplying and evacuating a pressurizing fluid to and from the bladder. The inflatable artificial muscle is activated by inflating the bladder with a pressurizing fluid to a predetermined internal pressure. The artificial muscle of the present invention is capable of straightening a portion of an elongated instrument in a bent configuration, which is enclosed within the lumen thereof.

Abstract: An inflatable actuation device that advantageously utilizes fluid pressure to actuate a portion of the shaft of a flexible elongated instrument for performing medical and industrial procedure in a tortuous passage and method of use are described herein. The inflatable actuation device allows an operator to actively manipulate a portion of the elongated instrument shaft within the passage, which facilitate the insertion of the instrument, for example, a medical endoscope into the passage. The present inflatable actuation device comprises an annular bladder, which can be expanded and collapsed, with a lumen to receive the elongated instrument. The inflatable actuation device is activated by inflating the annular bladder with pressurizing fluid supplied from a pressurizing fluid supply controller outside the passage.

Abstract: A guide device for an endoscope includes a tubular member that is configured to be inflated and collapsed. The tubular member includes a plurality of straight portions, a plurality of looped portions, and a plurality of manipulable portions. The guide device is configured to receive an endoscope and guide the endoscope along a path within an organ.

Abstract: A method for positron emission imaging is described. A portion of an imaging subject containing a radiopharmaceutical labeled with positron emitting radionuclide is disposed between and in close proximity with a pair of gamma detectors in opposing positional relationship. Pairs of coincidence gamma rays emitted from positron annihilation events are recorded by the pair of gamma detectors. The gamma detectors are scanned over and across an area of interest of the imaging subject while their position information is recorded. The recorded gamma ray events at each scan interval are used to represent two dimensional image of positron emitting radionuclide distribution within the imaging subject.

Abstract: An inflatable hollow body of a complex configuration is manufactured by blow molding a tubular preform using a mold with a cavity configured to correspond to the hollow body in an inflated state. In a preferred embodiment, the mold comprises a plurality of mold body portions, each mold body portion having a cavity portion, which together with other cavity portions forms a single continuous cavity of the mold. The preferred method of manufacture comprises providing a tubular preform and a mold, fitting the tubular preform in the cavity of the mold, heating the mold to a drawing temperature, drawing the tubular preform, heating the mold to a blowing temperature, inflating the tubular preform, cooling the mold, deflating and releasing manufactured hollow body from the mold.

Abstract: A guide device for an endoscope comprises a tubular member that is configured to be inflated and collapsed; a plurality of straight portions; and a plurality of looped portions. The plurality of straight portions and the plurality of loop portions are arranged in an alternating manner and together comprise the tubular member. The guide device is configured to receive an endoscope and guide the endoscope along a path within an organ.