Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer element unit includes a substrate, a first ultrasonic transducer element, and a projecting portion. The substrate includes openings being arranged in an array pattern and a main surface. The first ultrasonic transducer element is configured at a first opening of the openings on the main surface of the substrate and has a first height in a vertical direction from the main surface. The projecting portion is configured not to overlap with the first ultrasonic transducer element in a planar view in a thickness direction of the substrate on the main surface and having a second height which is greater than the first height in the vertical direction.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided directed to a device, including at least one ultrasonic transducer, a level shifter coupled to the at least one ultrasonic transducer, the level shifter including an input terminal configured to receive an input voltage, an output terminal configured to provide an output voltage level-shifted from the input voltage, a capacitor coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal, and a diode coupled in reverse-biased configuration between an input to an active high voltage element and a first voltage of a high voltage power supply.

Abstract: Aberration estimation uses cross correlation of receive-focused transmit element data. A set of sequentially fired broad transmit beams insonify an object from different steering angles. Each transmit beam emanates from an actual or a virtual transmit element. For every firing, a receive beamformer forms a transmit element image of the insonified region by focusing the received signals. An estimator estimates aberration by cross correlating or comparing the transmit element images. Where a virtual transmit element is used, the virtual transmit element images are back propagated to an actual transmit element position before aberration estimation. The estimations are used to form corrected transmit element images which are then summed pre-detection to form a high-resolution synthetic transmit aperture. Alternatively, the estimations are used to improve conventional focused-transmit imaging.

Abstract: A catheter is disclosed having a flexible tubing with a proximal end and a distal end. The catheter comprising at least one movable magnet provided within the distal end of the flexible tubing. A control mechanism is operable to selectively activate the at least one movable magnet from the proximal end of the flexible tubing. The at least one movable magnet is responsive to an external magnetic field to position and guide the distal end of the flexible tubing within a body of a patient.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention may be used to perform measurement of surfaces, such as external and internal surfaces of the human body, in full-field and in 3-D. Embodiments of the present invention may include an electromagnetic radiation source, which may be configured to project electromagnetic radiation onto a surface. The electromagnetic radiation source may be configured to project the electromagnetic radiation in a pattern corresponding to a spatial signal modulation algorithm. The electromagnetic radiation source may also be configured to project the electromagnetic radiation at a frequency suitable for transmission through the media in which the radiation is projected. An image sensor may be configured to capture image data representing the projected pattern.

Abstract: A system for use with ultrasound procedures including an ultrasound control and/or imaging system which has a microminiature motor, a rotatable reflector and a stationary ultrasound transducer. The transducer may be placed between the motor and the reflector, so as to eliminate the need for placement of wires or other artifact-creating items in the path of ultrasound signals. In particular embodiments, such systems can be incorporated in or retrofitted to commercially standard diagnostic and therapeutic catheters or other housings. Examples can be used in variety of ultrasound procedures, e.g. to perform intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for initiating stroke treatment “in the field” and/or during the transport of the patient to a care facility. The capability is provided to adjust automatically to the individual “therapeutic window” for each single patient, which is crucial because of the significant differences in skull morphology between humans of different age, gender and race. Further, the methods and apparatuses are based on the use of non-invasive application of ultrasound, as well as the non-invasive application of ultrasound in combination with an acoustically active agent, such as microbubbles, where stable cavitation of the microbubbles caused by the ultrasound may be relied upon as an underlying mechanism for both the therapeutic application as well as its control.

Abstract: A force-controlled ultrasound imaging device uses a linear drive system to maintain a suitable contact force with a subject. A combination of hardware and software limits on travel for the linear drive system provide intuitive user feedback while helping to ensure that the linear drive system remains active throughout the scan, while responding appropriately to initiation and termination of scans.

Abstract: Probe with a light-receiving optical fiber having an entrance face on the tip orthogonal to first optical axis; a light-emitting optical fiber having an exit face on the tip that is orthogonal to a second optical axis; and a lens with a positive refractive power that projects light exiting from the exit face onto the measurement site of a living tissue and focuses light radiated from the measurement site of the living tissue onto the entrance face. Lens has convex surface facing the entrance face and exit face, a flat surface formed on the side opposite the convex surface, and a third optical axis. Distance from center of convex surface to first optical axis of optical fiber is shorter than distance from center to second optical axis of optical fiber.

Abstract: A guidance system for assisting with the insertion of a needle into a patient body is disclosed. The guidance system utilizes ultrasound imaging or other suitable imaging technology. In one embodiment, the guidance system comprises an imaging device including a probe for producing an image of an internal body portion target, such as a vessel. One or more sensors are included with the probe. The sensors sense a detectable characteristic related to the needle, such as a magnetic field of a magnet included with the needle. The system includes a processor that uses data relating to the sensed characteristic to determine a 3-D position of the needle. The system includes a display for depicting the position of the needle. The needle can include a donut-shaped magnet disposed about the needle cannula, or a removable stylet with a magnetic element and a strain gauge for detection of the needle distal tip.

Abstract: A device and method of using the device to detect the presence and composition of clots and other target objects in a circulatory vessel of a living subject is described. In particular, devices and methods of detecting the presence and composition of clots and other target objects in a circulatory vessel of a living subject using in vivo photoacoustic flow cytometry techniques is described.

Abstract: A system and method for beamforming in soft-field tomography are provided. One soft-field tomography system includes a plurality of transducers configured for positioning proximate a surface of an object and one or more excitation drivers coupled to the plurality of transducers and configured to generate excitation signals for the plurality of transducers. The excitation signals include at least one frequency component. The soft-field tomography system further includes one or more response detectors coupled to the plurality of transducers and configured to measure a response of the object at the plurality of transducers to the excitation applied by the plurality of transducers based on the excitation signals. The soft-field tomography system also includes a soft-field reconstruction module configured to reconstruct a property distribution based on the excitation signals and the measured response using an Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) beamformer.

Abstract: An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical power generating source, an energy applicator operably associated with the electrosurgical power generating source, a heat-distribution indicator adapted to change echogenic properties in response to heat generated by energy delivered by the energy applicator, and a processor unit configured to generate at least one electrical signal for controlling at least one operating parameter associated with the electrosurgical power generating source. The system also includes an imaging system capable of acquiring image data. The imaging system is communicatively-coupled to the processor unit. The processor unit is adapted to determine an ablation rate at least in part based on analysis of one or more images acquired by the imaging system.

Abstract: MRI guided cardiac interventional systems are configured to generate dynamic (interactive) visualizations of patient anatomy and medical devices during an MRI-guided procedure and may also include at least one user selectable 3-D volumetric (tissue characterization) map of target anatomy, e.g., a defined portion of the heart.

Abstract: A system (100) includes an interventional apparatus (102) and an imaging scanner (101). The interventional apparatus includes a interventional instrument (204) configured to perform an image-guided interventional procedure for a patient. The interventional apparatus includes a position detector (122) that detects a position of the interventional instrument within a region of the patient at which the image-guided interventional procedure is performed from outside of the region of interest and generates a signal indicative of the detected position. The imaging scanner includes a controller (114) that activates the imaging scanner to scan the region of interest and the interventional instrument therein for one or more data acquisition cycles based on the movement signal.

Abstract: A non-invasive method and system for using 2D angiographic images for radiosurgical target definition uses non-invasive calibration devices and methods to calibrate an angiographic imaging system and a six-parameter registration algorithm to register angiographic images with 3D scan data for radiation treatment planning.

Abstract: A breast measurement apparatus comprises a receptacle for surrounding a breast; a plurality of optical fibers for irradiating the breast with examination light and detecting transmitted scattered light from the breast; an inner image generation unit for generating an optical CT image concerning the breast according to a detection signal of the transmitted scattered light; an ultrasonic probe, arranged so as to face the inside of the receptacle, for scanning the breast with an ultrasonic wave and receiving a reflected wave from the breast; an image generation unit for generating an ultrasonic image concerning the breast according to the reflected wave; and a mechanism for injecting and discharging a liquid interface agent into and from the inside of the receptacle.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for tracking and guiding high intensity focused ultrasound beams (HIFU). More particularly, the disclosed systems and methods involve use of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging to detect the focal position of an HIFU capable transducer relative to a target area. The focal position may then be 5 compared to a desired treatment location and the orientation and focus of the transducer may be adjusted accordingly so as to reconfigure and/or refocus the HIFU beam relative to the desired treatment location. The desired treatment location may be dynamically determined using bleed detection and localization (BD&L) techniques. Thus, the desired treatment location may be determined using 3D Doppler ultrasound based techniques, wherein changes in quantitative 10 parameters extracted from the Doppler spectra, e.g., Resistance Index (RI), are used to detect and localize a bleeding site for treatment.

Abstract: A fiber scanning optical probe including: an optical fiber; an actuator that drives the optical fiber in two directions; and an asymmetric structure that is disposed at one end of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A system for wearable/man-portable electromagnetic tomographic imaging includes a wearable/man-portable boundary apparatus adapted to receive a biological object within, a position determination system, electromagnetic transmitting/receiving hardware, and a hub computer system. The electromagnetic transmitting/receiving hardware collectively generates an electromagnetic field that passes into the boundary apparatus and receives the electromagnetic field after being scattered/interferenced by the biological object within. The hub computer system performs electromagnetic tomographic imaging based on the received electromagnetic field.