Abstract: A method for use in a medical procedure includes obtaining a contrast-enhanced image of a portion of a patient, the portion of the patient having an object, obtaining a non-contrast-enhanced image of the portion, wherein the contrast-enhanced image and the non-contrast-enhanced image are created at different times, and determining a position of the object using the contrast-enhanced image and the non-contrast-enhanced image. A method for use in a medical procedure includes obtaining a contrast-enhanced image of a portion of a patient, the portion of the patient having an object, obtaining a non-contrast-enhanced image of the portion, and determining a position of the object using the contrast-enhanced image and the non-contrast-enhanced image, wherein the act of determining the position is performed is substantially real time.

Abstract: A method for displaying a position of a medical device, such as a catheter, during insertion of the medical device into a patient is disclosed. In one example embodiment, the method includes obtaining a first set of detected position data relating to a location marker, then determining a possible first position of the location marker. A first confidence level relating to a match between the first set of detected position data and a first set of predicted position data is assigned. A determination is made whether the first confidence level meets or exceeds a first threshold. If the first confidence level meets or exceeds the first threshold, a determination is then made whether the first position of the location marker is within a first detection zone. If the first position of the location marker is within the first detection zone, the first position of the location marker is displayed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes at least one transmission element layer for transmitting ultrasonic waves, at least one reception element layer for receiving ultrasonic waves and which is provided with an electrode on each of both surfaces opposed in a thickness direction thereof, and at least one matching layer for matching acoustic impedance. These layers are arranged in this order in a direction of transmitting the ultrasonic waves. An upper layer and a lower layer each sandwiching the electrodes formed on both surfaces of the reception element layer are each provided with a projecting portion which projects from the reception element layer in a direction of elevation. At least one of the electrodes formed on the reception element layer is formed by extending on a surface of one of the projecting portion opposed to a respective one of the upper layer and the lower layer.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a tracheal tube may include signal sources for providing information at various locations on the tube or in an inflated cuff. The signals from the signal sources may be triangulated to determine the location of the tube in relation to a reference point on the body. The location information may provide an indication as to whether or not the tracheal tube is properly placed within the trachea.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing a joint condition includes in one embodiment: creating a 3d model of the patient specific bone; registering the patient's bone with the bone model; tracking the motion of the patient specific bone through a range of motion; selecting a database including empirical mathematical descriptions of the motion of a plurality actual bones through ranges of motion; and comparing the motion of the patient specific bone to the database.

Abstract: A method of operating an ultrasound signal generator includes generating a stimulus signal and receiving a returned signal. The Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of the returned signal is computed. The SNR is compared to an optimal SNR range. A control signal is generated to control the transmission power of the stimulus signal. A new stimulus signal is generated at the new transmission power. A device for collecting and analyzing a quasi-periodic signal includes a SNR calculator that computes the SNR of a returned signal. A signal analysis selector selects between a first and a second signal analysis technique. A transmission power controller compares the computed SNR with an optimal SNR range for the selected technique and modifies the transmission power as a result of this comparison.

Abstract: A method of measuring the thickness of a biological tissue by ultrasounds and a device carrying out such method. The method is implemented with an ultrasound probe that emits ultrasonic pulses within a body under examination and receives echoes generated from structures of the body under examination. The probe includes an array of two or more electro-acoustic transducers and, in combination, means for processing the reception signals and means for orienting one or more lines of sight, along which the emission of the pulses and/or the reception of the echoes is focused, according to different angles with respect to an axis perpendicular to the emitting surface of the probe.

Abstract: The present invention provides an MRI system for imaging of a subject over extended field-of-view (FOV) that employs both accelerated data acquisition, which is employed while the subject is stationary, and traditional data acquisition, which is employed while the subject is moved through the MRI system. This approach provides improved spatial resolution and time efficiency compared to traditional extended FOV imaging techniques.

Abstract: A biopsy marker having radio-opaque properties that are derived in situ, based on a natural a biological response, such as for example, calcification, accumulation or tissue-concentration of a chemical agent so as to provide an imaging contrast. A biodegradable foam such as collagen foam or gelatin foam is embedded with a biological tissue that is susceptible to the calcification. Initially the marker can be imaged using ultrasound, but over time, the embedded material calcifies causing it to become visible under radiation imaging.

Abstract: A system (40) for diagnosis and staging of early stages of cancer in the tissue of a patient is provided. The system—is configured to combine information from a Polarized Light Scattering Spectroscopy measurement (70) having a first probe depth, and a Differential Path Length Spectroscopy measurement (60) having a second probe depth, wherein the second probe depth is set larger than' the first probe depth. By comparing the results of the Polarized Light Scattering Spectroscopy and Differential Path Length Spectroscopy measurements early stages of cancer, such as dysplasia may be detected. Also hyperplasia, carcinoma in situ, and carcinoma may be detected. A computer-readable medium, method and use are also provided.

Abstract: For realization of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of satisfactorily narrowing a beam width while suppressing an increase in the number of focus data, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is designed to include an ultrasonic probe 10 that transmits or receives ultrasonic waves to or from a subject, a transmission unit 12 that supplies a driving signal to the ultrasonic probe 10, a reception unit 16 that handles a received signal sent from the ultrasonic probe 10, a unit 18 that reconstructs an ultrasonic image on the basis of a signal sent from the reception unit 16, and a unit 20 that displays the ultrasonic image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus further includes an element selection unit 22 that selects a plurality of driving oscillatory elements, which constitutes an aperture through which ultrasonic waves are transmitted or received, from among a plurality of oscillatory elements that constitutes the ultrasonic probe 10 and transforms ultrasonic waves into electric signals or vice versa.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes an ultrasound probe 1, in which a plurality of transducer elements are arrayed and which converges and radiates an ultrasound on a patient and detects a reflection wave thereof, and images a tomogram of the patient, using the reflection wave, wherein an expansion detector 22 operates a difference between a radial component of a therapeutic converging beam of a movement amount of each part, and an integral amount integrated from the radial component, and extracts a tissue expansion generated at a part of the patient from the tomogram, and wherein the movement amount is calculated by performing a pattern matching between tomograms imaged with different frames.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which one of an imaging method with advantageous time resolution and an imaging method with advantageous spatial resolution can be selectively used according to an imaging object. The apparatus includes a transmission control unit for controlling a drive signal generating unit to scan the object while shifting a center position of a group of transducers, which simultaneously transmit ultrasonic waves, by a distance not larger than an interval of plural transducers in a first imaging mode and shifting a center position of a group of transducers, which simultaneously transmit ultrasonic waves, by a distance not less than twice the interval in a second imaging mode, and an image generating unit for generating an image signal at a first frame rate in the first imaging mode and a second frame rate higher than the first frame rate in the second imaging mode.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope has an ultrasound probe which is disposed at a distal end side of a distal end rigid portion configuring a distal end portion out of a flexible tube portion, a bending portion and the distal end rigid portion configuring an insertion portion, and forms an ultrasound scanning surface having a normal line in a direction orthogonal to an endoscope insertion axis L1, and a treatment instrument outlet of a treatment hole in the distal end rigid portion. The ultrasound probe is configured by a plurality of ultrasound transducers arranged in a convex circular arc shape, and a center of curvature of the plurality of ultrasound transducers is disposed at a proximal end side from the treatment instrument outlet.

Abstract: Ultrasound stimulation devices and related techniques are disclosed. An ultrasound transducer for generating ultrasound energy is carried by a transducer housing that seals the transducer and may also include a positioning element for positioning the transducer proximate an application area to which generated ultrasound energy is to be applied. The transducer housing may also carry such components as a battery, a wireless receiver, and a controller. The same housing or a separate sensor housing may include an ultrasound sensor that provides feedback to the ultrasound transducer or its controller, illustratively through a wireless transmitter.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system with pixel oriented processing is provided in which an acoustic signal is generated, echoes from the acoustic signal are received at a plurality of receiving elements to obtain echo signals that are then stored, a given pixel is mapped into a region of the stored signals, the mapped region of the stored echo signals is organized into array for the given pixel after which the array is processed to generate a signal response for the given pixel to obtain acoustic information for the given pixel. The system can be implemented entirely on plug-in cards for a commercial PC motherboard. The system and method can be implemented for pixel-oriented or voxel-oriented image processing and display, eliminating intermediate data computations and enabling extensive use of software processing methods. Advantages include improved acquisition of signal dynamic range, flexible acquisition modes for high frame rate 2D, 3D, and Doppler blood flow imaging.

Abstract: A body-insertable device is introduced into a desired part in a body for injecting a liquid medicine stored in a casing into the desired part. The body-insertable device includes a projecting portion which projects an injection needle injecting the liquid medicine toward the desired part; a detecting unit which detects a position relation between a biological tissue surface in the desired part and the injection needle; and a control unit. The control unit controls an amount of projection of the injection needle according to the position relation detected by the detecting unit, and controls a puncture depth of the injection needle from the biological tissue surface.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic probe of the present invention, a probe main body that comprises a flat shaped piezoelectric element group having a plurality of strip shaped piezoelectric elements arranged in a line in the major axis direction, which is the crosswise direction of the piezoelectric elements, is formed and housed within a container main body and sealed therein with a cover. The ultrasonic probe is characterized in that, in order to mechanically and linearly scan the probe main body in the minor axis direction, which is the lengthwise direction of the piezoelectric elements, the probe main body is linearly reciprocated and mechanically scanned in the minor axis direction, by an endless belt that is driven by a drive source via another endless belt linearly in the minor axis direction, while being guided by a pair of linear guides.

Abstract: This invention relates to a non-invasive, safer alternative to current lipoplasty procedures. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a multi-channel system that focuses the low mega Hertz ultrasound at user selectable depths, where fat cells are to be emulsified. The system offers independent user control of the main emulsifying property, cavitation, and thermal heating, which can independently be used for skin tightening. One part of the system is a handheld transducer, in shape similar to a typical small diagnostic ultrasound transducer. The other part of the system includes a transmitter with, for example, internal tracking of procedure time and with a disabling feature.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe having a combination of plural types of functions and thereby easy to carry. The ultrasonic probe includes: a housing part for housing a first group of ultrasonic transducers and a second group of ultrasonic transducers in a first edge part and a second edge part having different curvatures from each other, respectively, the first and second groups of ultrasonic transducers transmitting ultrasonic waves according to drive signals and receiving ultrasonic echoes to output reception signals; and a grip part rotatable relative to the housing part.