Abstract: A magnetometer-based metal detection device and methods of use are described. The device includes a proximal portion, a central body and a distal portion, and at least one magnetometer positioned within or on the distal portion. The at least one magnetometer includes at least one sensor capable of sensing a magnetic field in three orthogonal axes. Also described is a method of calibrating the device to achieve rotational invariance, and a method of determining a directionality or directional line along which a target metal object lies.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer positioning apparatus and method that are capable of securing an ultrasound transducer in a desired position on a patient's body are disclosed. In some implementations, pressure exerted by the apparatus on the ultrasound transducer influences the angle at which the ultrasound energy is delivered to the patient's body.

Abstract: A biopsy marker having a spring-loaded anchor. The biopsy marker includes an insertion orientation and an anchored orientation. The lateral span/cross-sectional area of the marker is configured to change when transitioning between the insertion orientation and the anchored orientation. In an embodiment, the spring-loaded anchor is configured to spring about a predefined rotational axis. An embodiment of the biopsy marker may be comprised of a single wire construction.

Abstract: A device for generating a projected image based on an activity related parameter includes a first sensor for detecting the activity related parameter, a second sensor for detecting an orientation of the device, a processor coupled to the first sensor for creating information from the detected activity related parameter, a light source for emitting a light beam from the device to project the created information as an image onto a surface outside the device and at least a first actuator for adjusting a relative direction of the light beam with respect to the detected orientation of the device. The surface outside the device is a ground surface and a distance between the device and the projected image is a function of the detected activity related parameter.

Abstract: A system for calibration-free cuff-less evaluation of blood pressure is proposed. The system includes an ultrasound-based arterial compliance probes and a controller unit connected to the said probe. The ultrasound transducers measure the change in arterial dimensions, pulse wave velocity, and other character traits of an arterial segment over continuous cardiac cycle, which is then used to evaluate blood pressure parameters without any calibration procedure using dedicated mathematical models.

Abstract: A medical image diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes obtaining circuitry, detecting circuitry, deriving circuitry, and controlling circuitry. The obtaining circuitry is configured to obtain image data of a patient. The detecting circuitry is configured to detect each of a plurality of sites of the patient from the image data. The deriving circuitry is configured to derive information about a structuring member in the patient, on the basis of a detection result obtained by the detecting circuitry. The controlling circuitry is configured to determine an injection condition for a contrast agent to be administered to the patient for a contrast-enhanced scan, on the basis of the information about the structuring member.

Abstract: A method may be provided to operate a medical system. First data may be provided for a first 3-dimensional (3D) image scan of an anatomical volume, with the first data identifying a blood vessel node in a first coordinate system for the first 3D image scan. Second data may be provided for a second 3D image scan of the anatomical volume, with the second data identifying the blood vessel node in a second coordinate system for the second 3D image scan. The first and second coordinate systems for the first and second 3D image scans of the anatomical volume may be co-registered using the blood vessel node identified in the first data and in the second data as a fiducial.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for analyzing images from a magnetic resonance (MR) system. The device includes at least one hardware processor coupled with a storage system accessible to the at least one hardware processor. The device further includes a display in communication with the at least one hardware processor. The device receives a plurality of non-contrast MR images in a region of interest (ROI). The device obtains blood flow signals from the plurality of non-contrast MR images. The device identifies an abnormal segment by analyzing the blood flow signals. The device displays the non-contrast MR images by a highlighted segment in at least one of the non-contrast MR images to indicate the abnormal segment on the display.

Abstract: A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an end effector element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The robot system includes a robot base having a display, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, wherein movement of the robot arm is electronically controlled by the robot base. The end-effector is coupled to the robot arm, containing one or more end-effector tracking markers. The system also includes a plurality of dynamic reference bases (DRB) attached to multiple patient fixture instruments, wherein the plurality of dynamic reference bases include one or more tracking markers indicating a position of the patient fixture instrument in a navigational space. The system also includes a first camera system and a second camera system, the first and second camera systems being able to detect a plurality of tracking markers.

Abstract: A brain volume (BV) calculation method includes obtaining a first set of medical images at a first time point and a second set of medical images at a second time point, each set including at least two medical images. First and second algorithms may be used to calculate, respectively, first and third BV values at the first time point based on two or more images from the first set of medical images, and second and fourth BV values at the second time point based on two or more images from the second set of medical images. A mathematical weight may be applied to at least one of the first to fourth BV values. The first and third BV values may be averaged, and the second and fourth BV values may be averaged to determine overall BV values at the first and second time points, respectively.

Abstract: The method provides for the following steps: —acquiring data indicative of an ultrasound machine comprising: a base unit, a probe associated with the base unit, and a needle guide associated with the probe for guiding needles in a volume subjected to ultrasound imaging by means of said probe and said base unit; —from a database, retrieving information associated with said ultrasound machine; —displaying, on a monitor, an ultrasound image acquired by means of the base unit; —superimposing, to the ultrasound image on the monitor, a set of guide traces for guiding the insertion of needles in the volume subjected to ultrasound imaging, said guide traces being coordinated with the acquired ultrasound images by means of the information retrieved from the database.

Abstract: An ultrasound system performs duplex colorflow and spectral Doppler imaging, with the spectral Doppler interrogation performed at a sample volume location shown on the colorflow image. The colorflow image is displayed in a color box overlaid on a co-registered B mode image. A color box position and steering angle processor analyzes the spatial Doppler data and automatically sets the color box angle and location over a blood vessel for optimal Doppler sensitivity and accuracy. The processor may also automatically set the flow angle correction cursor in alignment with the direction of flow. In a preferred embodiment these optimization adjustments are made automatically and continuously as a user pauses at points for Doppler measurements along a length of the blood vessel.

Abstract: An ultrasound medical device and an ultrasound diagnostic imaging device are provided that allow orally-fed fluid food, etc. to pass through the esophagus of the subject. The ultrasound medical device includes a capsule-type main body configured to incorporate ultrasound transducers, so that the ultrasound transducers in the capsule-type main body, which has been inserted in a tubular body part of a subject, send ultrasound waves to the subject's interiors and receive reflected waves. The ultrasound medical device further includes a support configured to be incorporated in the capsule-type main body and to have a form of tube with a through-hole axially passing through the tube. The ultrasound transducers are arranged external to the tube.

Abstract: A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly.

Abstract: Methods to quantify motion of a human or animal subject during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam are provided. In particular, these algorithms make it possible to track head motion over an extended range by processing data obtained from multiple cameras. These methods make current motion tracking methods more applicable to a wider patient population.

Abstract: A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are related to intravascular devices having improved rapid-exchange configurations and associated systems and methods. In some particular embodiments, the devices of the present disclosure include a reinforced rapid-exchange port, an offset rapid-exchange port, and/or combinations thereof. For example, in some implementations an intravascular imaging device is provided that includes a main catheter body; a rotational imaging element positioned within a lumen of the main catheter body; a distal portion extending from the main catheter body, the distal portion having a rapid-exchange port in communication with a guidewire lumen, the rapid-exchange port and the guidewire lumen sized and shaped to receive a guidewire; and at least one reinforcing element positioned adjacent to the rapid-exchange port.

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical instrument (100, 400) comprising a medical imaging system (102, 402) configured for acquiring medical imaging data (432) from a subject (108); a subject support (110) configured for supporting the subject during acquisition of the medical imaging data; and an optical imaging system (114, 114?) configured for acquiring optical imaging data (134) of the subject on the subject support. The execution of the machine executable instructions causes a processor (122) controlling the medical instrument to: control (200) the optical imaging system to acquire the optical imaging data; generate (202) the initial vector (136) using the optical imaging data; generate (204) the synthetic image by inputting the initial vector into a generator neural network; calculate (206) a difference (140) between the synthetic image and the optical imaging data; and provide (208) a warning signal (142) if the difference differs by a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising at least one light source, at least one photodetector, a first layer of optical material configured to embed the at least one light source, and a second layer of optical material configured to embed the at least one photodetector. The first and second layer of optical material are configured to guide light from the at least one light source and to prevent the light from the at least one light source directly reaching the at least on photodetector, and the second layer of optical material is configured to guide light towards the at least one photodetector.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring lung water content of a patient. The system may include microwave sensors and a processor. The system may transmit microwave signals into, and receive microwave signals from, the thorax of a patient using the microwave sensors. The received microwave signals may each have at least one frequency component with a magnitude and a phase. The system may analyze the phase of the received microwave signal corresponding to a first pair of the microwave signals to monitor changes in the lung water content. The system may analyze the magnitude of the received microwave signal corresponding to a second, different pair of the microwave sensors to determine whether the lung water content is increasing or decreasing. The system may also analyze the received microwave signals to determine a blood pressure indicator and to determine lung water content.