Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for determining a temperature by means of a radiation thermometer with multiple infrared sensor elements detecting infrared radiation from different regions and delivering corresponding temperature signals, in particular to a method for taking a patient's temperature by means of an ear thermometer. The method of the present invention is based on the known fact that the tympanic membrane has a higher temperature than the ear canal. Hence part of the sensor elements, that is, those that view the tympanic membrane, will detect a higher temperature than the remaining sensor elements that view the ear canal. According to the present invention, for evaluation only the temperature signal of that sensor element is used that supplies the peak temperature value by comparison with the other sensor elements.

Abstract: In a system, method and workstation, images of a first subject are acquired with an image signal acquisition unit, the position of the image signal acquisition unit is determined, the position of a second subject is determined and the position of the second subject relative to the image signal acquisition unit is also determined and an image of the second subject is mixed into an image of the first subject acquired with the image signal acquisition unit.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus having a pair of a first magnet device and a second magnet device for generating a magnetostatic field, the pair of magnet devices being installed opposite each other across an examination space for accommodating an examinee; a gradient-field generating device; a high-frequency field generating device; and a yoke for combining the first and second magnetic devices to guide magnetic fluxes generated by the first and second magnetic devices to thereby form a closed magnetic circuit, wherein the yoke includes a first plate member fixed to a first magnet device, a second plate member fixed to a second magnet device and one or more support-post members interconnecting the first plate member and the second plate member, each of the first and second plate members and support-post members includes a plurality of segments formed in a predetermined shape.

Abstract: The present invention provides various methods/systems of optical imaging of subsurface anatomical structures and biomolecules utilizing red and infrared radiant energy. Also provided are various applications of such methods/systems in medical diagnosis and treatment.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for providing preferential enhancement of an artery of interest relative to adjacent veins and background tissue. The method and apparatus adapts the timing of a maximum or substantially elevated rate of infusion to correlate with the collection of image data corresponding to the center of k-space. The technique and apparatus temporally correlates the timing of a maximum or substantially elevated rate of infusion and the mapping of k-space according to the location of the artery of interest, the size of the artery of interest, the physical condition of the patient, the time delay due to the configuration of the contrast agent delivery system, and/or the type of pulse sequence employed by the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: An acoustic wave device including an electrical element disposable on an outer contour of a support of an acoustic wave transducer, the outer contour having a non-cylindrical and non-flat shape, the electrical element being areally configured on the outer contour for radiating acoustic waves outwardly from the outer contour.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) elastographs of a region in a body are provided. A catheter, in accordance with one embodiment, comprises an elongated member, an acoustic transducer positioned near a distal end of the elongated member, and a Radio Frequency (RF) coil adjacent to the acoustic transducer. To generate an MRI elastograph of a region in a body, the acoustic transducer and the RF coil of the catheter are positioned at the desired region in the body. The acoustic transducer emits acoustic waves in the region of the body, and the RF coil detects RF signals emitted within the region of the body. The detected RF signals are outputted to an MRI receiver to generate the MRI elastograph of the region in the body.

Abstract: A medical apparatus for dealing with problems which, when a problem affecting the medical apparatus occurs, determine the component (7) which is the cause of the problem concerned and display it, in the event that this is a component (7) which can be exchanged by an apparatus user without service support, the means for dealing with problems (13) displaying a request to exchange this component.

Abstract: A shock wave source has a coil carrier, a coil, having a metallic membrane separated from the coil in insulating fashion for generating shock waves. The coil carrier is formed of a material that damps the formation and/or the propagation of audible acoustic waves in the generation of shock waves.

Abstract: The invention relates to an MR imaging method for representing and determining the position of a medical device inserted in an examination object, and to a medical device used in the method. In accordance with the invention, the device (11) comprises at least one passive oscillating circuit with an inductor (2a, 2b) and a capacitor (3a, 3b). The resonance frequency of this circuit substantially corresponds to the resonance frequency of the injected high-frequency radiation from the MR system. In this way, in a locally limited area situated inside or around the device, a modified signal answer is generated which is represented with spatial resolution.

Abstract: A two-dimensional slice formed of pixels (376) is extracted from the angiographic image (76) after enhancing the vessel edges by second order spatial differentiation (78). Imaged vascular structures in the slice are located (388) and flood-filled (384). The edges of the filled regions are iteratively eroded to identify vessel centers (402). The extracting, locating, flood-filling, and eroding is repeated (408) for a plurality of slices to generate a plurality of vessel centers (84) that are representative of the vascular system. A vessel center (88) is selected, and a corresponding vessel direction (92) and orthogonal plane (94) are found. The vessel boundaries (710) in the orthogonal plane (94) are identified by iteratively propagating (704) a closed geometric contour arranged about the vessel center (88). The selecting, finding, and estimating are repeated for the plurality of vessel centers (84). The estimated vessel boundaries (710) are interpolated (770) to form a vascular tree (780).

Abstract: A shock wave source has a coil carrier, having a longitudinal axis, a coil and a metallic membrane separated from the coil in insulating fashion for generating shock waves. The coil carrier has a generated surface, a first cover surface facing toward the coil and a second cover surface facing away from the coil. For reducing the low-frequency sound generation when generating shock waves, a cross-sectional area of the coil carrier intersected at a right angle by the longitudinal axis has a non-circular contour. A reduction of the audible sound generation when generating shock waves can also be achieved when the second cover surface of the coil carrier is non-flat.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for aligning and imaging a body part which immobilizes the body part within a stereotactic body localization system having an imaging resolver fiducial localizer for precise imaging and localization of the body parts within the apparatus. Both anterior and posterior immobilization methods can be used. A continuous array of coupled fiducials is employed with at least one pair formed in a &pgr;/2 horizontal linked sine and cosine wave fiducial pattern.

Abstract: A system (10) for conducting an image-guided medical procedure on a subject (20) includes a medical imaging apparatus (100) which intermittently during the procedure obtains, upon demand, real-time medical images of the actual procedure. A robotic arm (200) hold a medical instrument (e.g., a biopsy needle (210)) that is used to perform the procedure. The robotic arm (200) manipulates the medical instrument in response to drive signals from a haptic control (400). A detector (e.g., a strain gauge (230)) measures forces experienced by the medical instrument during the procedure. The haptic control (400) generates the drive signals in response to manipulations of an input device (e.g., a knob (404) or an auxiliary instrument, such as, in the case of a biopsy, a remote needle (500)) by an operator, and the operator receives tactile feedback from the haptic control (400) in accordance with the measured forces experienced by the medical instrument. A display (e.g.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively and accurately localizing and treating a target within a patient are provided. A three dimensional mapping of a region surrounding the target is coupled to a surgical intervention. Two or more diagnostic beams at a known non-zero angle to one another may pass through the mapping region to produce images of projections within the mapping region in order to accurately localize and treat the target wherein the images are captured using one or more image recorders.

Abstract: A high intensity focused ultrasound applicator includes a frame, ultrasonic emitters mounted on the frame and a bag containing a substantially air-free fluid permanently connected to the frame. The frame, the bag, the fluid within the bag and the emitters constitute a permanently connected unit which can be releasably connected to an ultrasonic actuation apparatus.

Abstract: The effects of complex motion of the heart and surrounding anatomy due to cardiac and respiratory motion is reduced in high resolution imaging of coronary arteries using a diminishing variance algorithm (DVA) using a navigator for tracking heart motion and iteratively reacquiring data frames where a data frame has a positional variance from a cumulative histogram of data. A target position is continually calculated from the cumulative histogram which is smoothed such as by low-pass filtering to continually provide a target position. An image histogram is developed based on a limited number of image frames which are iteratively replaced to attain desired image quality.

Abstract: Described herein is a medical device, such as a catheter or guidewire, which comprises an elongate body, a MRI imaging sensor and a contrast medium contained within the medical device, the contrast medium enhancing the MRI image of body tissue. The contrast medium may be contained or encapsulated in the elongate body, the imaging sensor, or a reservoir(s) in the elongate body or imaging sensor. The contrast medium may be, for example, gadolinium or a superparamagnetic contrast medium.

Abstract: A patient-supporting apparatus (1) for a piece of medical equipment (15), in particular for an MRI tomograph, has a panel (5) for supporting a patient (3) or for bearing a separate supporting panel. Also provided is a guide element (7) on which the panel (5) is arranged in a displaceable manner such that it can be introduced into an accommodating region (13) of the piece of medical equipment (15). The patient-supporting apparatus (1) is distinguished in that a handle (21) provided for displacing the panel (5) is of pivotable configuration. Preferably integrated in the handle (21) is an actuating element (31) which can bring about an operation for braking the panel (5) in relation to the guide element (7).

Abstract: A device and method in accordance with the invention for determining the oxygen partial pressure (PO2) of a tissue by irradiating the tissue with optical radiation such that the light is emitted from the tissue, and by collecting the reflected or transmitted light from the tissue to form an optical spectrum. A spectral processor determines the PO2 level in tissue by processing this spectrum with a previously-constructed spectral calibration model. The tissue may, for example, be disposed underneath a covering tissue, such as skin, of a patient, and the tissue illuminated and light collected through the skin. Alternatively, direct tissue illumination and collection may be effected with a hand-held or endoscopic probe. A preferred system also determines pH from the same spectrum, and the processor may determine critical conditions and issue warnings based on parameter values.