Abstract: Markers for use in bodily tissue take a variety of forms, and may include a plurality of ultrasound reflective elements, for example hollow shells filled with air, and a hydrogel that binds the ultrasound reflective elements. The hydrogel may be natural or artificial and may be cross-linked. An ultrasound system advantageously injects variance in a drive signal, that varies a frequency or phase of an ultrasound interrogation signal from a nominal frequency or nominal phase. The amount of variation is preferable one to six orders of magnitude less than the nominal frequency or phase. The ultrasound system can present or detect a twinkling artifact at least in a Doppler mode of operation, resulting from interaction of the varying interrogation signal with the ultrasound reflective elements.

Abstract: A bending neck for an articulating ultrasound probe has a variable configuration whereby different sections of the bending neck can be bent into different curvatures. In one implementation a rigid member is extended into the bending neck, setting the deflection point for a section of the bending neck at the end of the rigid member. In another implementation the links of the bending neck have different lengths, causing different sections to have different radii of maximum curvature. In another implementation the bending neck is encased in a sheath which exhibits regions of different durometer, thickness, or spacing of points of attachment to the bending neck.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a DBN based separation method of a mixture of dual-tracer single-acquisition PET signals labelled with the same isotope. It predicts the two separate PET signals by establishing a complex mapping relationship between the dynamic mixed concentration distribution of the same isotope-labeled dual-tracer pairs and the two single radiotracer concentration images. Based on the compartment models and the Monte Carlo simulation, the present invention selects three sets of the same radionuclide-labeled tracer pairs as the objects and simulates the entire PET process from injection to scanning to generate enough training sets and testing sets. When inputting the testing sets into the constructed universal deep belief network trained by the training sets, the prediction results show that the two individual PET signals can been reconstructed well, which verifies the effectiveness of using the deep belief network to separate the dual-tracer PET signals labelled with the same isotope.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable probe for photoacoustic tomography, capable of performing line-by-line scanning or area-by-area scanning by using a small number of light inputs; and a real-time photoacoustic tomography device. The probe for photoacoustic tomography includes: a lens receiving light inputs from an optical fiber so as to make the same proceed as small diameter parallel light; a Powell lens receiving the small diameter parallel light and generating a line beam of a predetermined thickness, and allowing energy dispersed on a line to be uniform on the entire line; a lens making the line beam pass therethrough such that the line beam has a predetermined width and a reduced thickness so as to be line-focused at a target area; an acoustic reflection glass for separating, from a light path, an acoustic wave outputted from the target area; and an acoustic measurement unit for measuring acoustic strength.

Abstract: Disclosed biopsy markers are adapted to serve as localization markers during a surgical procedure. Adaptation includes incorporation of materials detectable under ultrasound during surgery, as well as features for co-registration with image guidance or other real-time imaging technologies during surgery. Such biopsy markers, when used as localization markers, improve patient comfort and reduce challenges in surgical coordination and surgery time. Additional disclosed biopsy markers are adapted to serve as monitoring and/or detection apparatuses. Localization of an implanted marker may be done with ultrasound technology. Ultrasound image data is analyzed to identify the implanted marker. A distance to the marker or a lesion may be determined and displayed. The determined distance may be a distance between the ultrasound probe and the marker or lesion, a distance between the marker or lesion and an incision instrument, and/or a distance between the ultrasound probe and the incision instrument.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the imaging of blood vessels, and in particular, to the detection of one or more borders of a blood vessel. In some embodiments, a medical imaging system is configured to detect a primary border of a blood vessel and one or more alternative borders of the blood vessel. For example, in some embodiments, a medical imaging system includes an imaging device configured to obtain an image of a blood vessel, a processing unit, and a user display. The processing unit can be configured to receive the image of the blood vessel and perform an analysis of the image to identify a primary candidate border and an alternative candidate border of the blood vessel. The primary candidate border and alternative candidate border can represent candidates for a single boundary of the blood vessel.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an image data acquisition unit and a template data acquisition unit. The image data acquisition unit acquires a plurality of pieces of image data generated by performing a plurality of ultrasonic wave transmission and reception operations on a subject while changing an ultrasonic wave transmission and reception mode. The template data acquisition unit acquires a plurality of pieces of template data corresponding to the plurality of ultrasonic wave transmission and reception operations, respectively. The similarity information acquisition unit acquires information indicating a similarity between an image value sequence of the plurality of pieces of image data at a target position and a template data sequence of the plurality of pieces of template data at the target position.

Abstract: A system (100) includes an echocardiogram measurement tool (150) that determines a subset (152) of measurements from a list of echocardiogram measurements according to a view of an ultrasound imaging sequence (110) and a mapping (154) between the view and the subset of measurements.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a system for medical object tracking is provided. The system includes a plurality of radio frequency transceivers where each of the plurality of radio frequency transceivers are configured to emit a radio frequency signal at a respective frequency. The system includes a radio frequency beacon removably attachable to a medical object where the radio frequency beacon configured to: reflect the radio frequency signals from the plurality of radio frequency transceivers, and emit vibration-based signals. The system includes a control device in communication with the plurality of radio frequency transceivers where the control device includes processing circuitry configured to determine a location of the medical object in three-dimensional space based at least in part on the reflected radio frequency signals and vibration-based signals.

Abstract: A system (e.g., an ultrasound imaging system) is provided. The system includes an ultrasound probe configured to acquire three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound data of a volumetric region of interest (ROI). The system further includes a display, a memory configured to store programmed instructions, and a controller circuit. The controller circuit includes one or more processors. The controller circuit is configured to execute the programmed instructions stored in the memory. When executing the programmed instructions, the controller circuit performs a plurality of operations. The operations includes collecting the 3D ultrasound data from an ultrasound probe and identifying a select set of the 3D ultrasound data corresponding to an object of interest within the volumetric ROI. The operations further include segmenting the object of interest from the select set of the 3D ultrasound data, generating a visualization plane of the object of interest, and displaying the visualization plane on the display.

Abstract: Markers, probes, and related systems and methods are provided for localizing locations within a patient's body, e.g., a lesion within a breast. The marker includes an energy converter e.g., one or more photodiodes, for transforming light energy striking the marker into electrical energy, a storage device coupled to the energy converter for storing the electrical energy, a threshold element that closes a switch when the electrical energy reaches a predetermined threshold to discharge the electrical energy and cause the antenna to transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal. The system includes a probe that transmits light into the patient's body and a processor that correlate the frequency of the RF signals to a distance from the probe to the marker.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for assisting in guiding and performing a procedure on a subject. The subject may be any appropriate subject such as inanimate object and/or an animate object. The guide and system may include various manipulable or movable members and may be registered to selected coordinate systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) comprising a signal processor (2) for processing measurement signals (3) from a motion-mode ultrasound measurement and a rendering device (4) coupled to a processor (2) for rendering a one-dimensional representation (40) along a temporal axis (41) indicative of a property within a tissue. The values (42) in the one-dimensional representation (40) are derived on the basis of measured values in an observation window (12, 22, 32) defined on an M-mode ultrasound image (10), a tissue velocity image (20) or a strain rate image (30).

Abstract: A percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) catheter may be configured to perform vein expansion and occlusion. A infusion port located proximal to the occlusion feature can be used to inject contrast enhancement agent as well as other substances. The catheter can be used especially advantageously in vascular regions associated with hemodialysis access.

Abstract: An optical measurement system comprising an optical source configured for delivering sample light in an anatomical structure, such that the sample light is scattered by the anatomical structure, resulting in physiological-encoded signal light that exits the anatomical structure, an optical detector configured for detecting the physiological-encoded signal light, and a processor configured for acquiring a TOF profile derived from the physiological-encoded signal light, the initial TOF profile having an initial contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between a plurality of states of a physiological activity in the anatomical structure. The processor is further configured for applying one or more weighting functions to the initial TOF profile to generate a weighted TOF profile having a subsequent CNR greater than the initial CNR between the plurality of states of the physiological activity.

Abstract: Systems and methods for x-ray imaging a patient's breast in combinations of dual-energy, single-energy, mammography and tomosynthesis modes that facilitate screening for and diagnosis of breast abnormalities, particularly breast abnormalities characterized by abnormal vascularity.

Abstract: A transducer array includes at least one annular shear wave generation transducer that defines an interior area, the at least one annular shear wave generation transducer being configured to generate a shear wave excitation to a region of interest such that the shear wave excitation excites at least a part of a corresponding cylindrical portion of the region of interest and shear waves propagating from the cylindrical portion of the region of interest constructively interfere in an interior region of the cylindrical portion of the region of interest: and at least one tracking transducer positioned in the interior area of the at least one annular shear wave generation transducer, the at least one tracking transducer being configured to detect a shear wave in the interior region of the region of interest.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a medical image processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit, an identifying unit, and a display controller. The acquiring unit acquires volume data indicating the state of a three-dimensional region including a mass portion and a plurality of blood vessels derived from the mass portion in a subject. The identifying unit specifies a region corresponding to the mass portion and the blood vessels in the volume data as a region of interest. The identifying unit identifies the mass portion and each of the blood vessels in the region of interest. The display controller assigns a different display mode to at least one of the mass portion and the blood vessels.

Abstract: A method of transcranial brain optical imaging including obtaining a Laser Speckle (LS) image of cranial blood vessels of a subject, obtaining a Dynamic Fluorescence (DF) image of the cranial blood vessels of the subject, and combining the LS image and the DF image producing a combined color image which displays both structure of the cranial blood vessels and perfusion of blood along the cranial blood vessels. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: Provided are a method and a ultrasound imaging apparatus for managing growth of follicles in an ovary where the method comprises detecting, by a signal processor, the follicles and a plurality of parameters associated with each follicle in a three dimensional (3D) ultra sound image, tracking the detected follicles in a longitudinal scan, monitoring a rate of growth of each follicle based on the detected parameters in the longitudinal scan, determining a dosage of hormone for stimulating the ovary based on the rate of growth of each follicle, and generating a report and a nomograph based on the rate of growth of each follicle.