Abstract: Provided are a photoacoustic image generation apparatus and an insert that can evaluate whether a plurality of materials with different absorption wavelengths are present in the vicinity of a puncture needle, without preparing a plurality of light sources. A puncture needle is at least partially inserted into a subject. An optical fiber guides light with a first wavelength. A light emitting portion emits the light guided by the optical fiber. A light absorption/conversion member absorbs the light with the first wavelength emitted from the light emitting portion and converts the light with the first wavelength into light with a second wavelength. In addition, the light absorption/conversion member generates photoacoustic waves with the conversion into the light with the second wavelength.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide a non-ionizing alternative to conventional mammography X-ray techniques, which expose patients to ionizing radiation, for breast cancer tumor detection, using a miniaturized (wafer scale) array of ultra wide band (UWB) radio frequency (RF) sensors operating at 60 GHz (non-ionizing—no X-ray type accumulative radiations) that have capability to use both linear and polarized sensors, tomography, and suppression of scattering for improved imaging. Coding techniques provide significant processing gain that is essential for the large attenuation of transmitted signals in breast tissue operating at these high frequencies. The increased bandwidth of UWB RF detection provides better depth resolution of breast and body tissue. Using polarization improves detection of abnormal tissues.

Abstract: An example medical probe apparatus includes a main body; and a head which is detachably provided in the main body, and includes a transducer array configured to output an ultrasound for diagnosis of an object, the main body including: a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal to and from the transducer array through a plurality of channels; and at least one processor configured to control the transceiver to transmit a predetermined test signal to the transducer array of the head mounted to the main body, determine a probe type corresponding to the transducer array of the mounted head based on a feedback signal received through the transceiver in response to the test signal, and make the probe apparatus operate corresponding to the determined probe type.

Abstract: The subject matter of the present disclosure generally relates to techniques for following a treatment protocol having one or more treatment parameters to cause a targeted physiological outcome at a distal site, assessing an expression level of a gene in a region of interest after completing the treatment protocol, and modifying the one or more treatment parameters based on the expression level of the gene. The treatment protocol may include one or more ultrasound energy treatments to the region of interest.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods of evaluating risk associated with a condition of the vessel and providing an objective intervention recommendation based on the evaluated risk are disclosed. The method includes steps of obtaining physiologic measurements from a first instrument and a second instrument positioned within the vessel of the patient while the second instrument is moved longitudinally through the vessel from a first position to a second position, obtaining image data from an image of a vessel system, co-registering the physiologic measurements with the image data to produce co-registered physiologic measurements, and determining whether to perform a first surgical procedure or a second surgical procedure, wherein the determining is based on the co-registered physiologic measurements. Other associated methods, systems, and devices are also provided herein.

Abstract: A Doppler measurement system includes a random generator outputting a control signal encoding a random selection, and an ultrasonic array transducer for emitting a sequence of transmit pulses at a target at either an adjustable steering angle (plane wave imaging) or from a selectable non-sequential transducer element order (synthetic aperture imaging) corresponding to the random selection and for receiving an echo of each transmit pulse reflected from the target. Each transmit pulse is independently adjusted to a steering angle (plane wave imaging) or selectable transducer element order (synthetic aperture imaging) corresponding to a unique random selection so that the sequence of transmit pulses is a random sweep. The system can also include a memory for storing echo data, and a processor connected to the memory for using transmit data and echo data to extract a Doppler parameter. Methods of Doppler measurement and computer-readable medium can incorporating the measurement system.

Abstract: The navigation systems and methods facilitate aligning a tool in relation to a trajectory in real-time to receive input data from a pre-operative plan image, at least one multi-modal image, and at least one real-time multi-modal image; interactively track at least one neural fiber, whereby interactively tracked fiber data is obtainable; automatically generate output data by way of data transformation using the input data and the interactively tracked neural fiber data; and transmit the output data to at least one of: at least one display device for rendering at least one real-time interactive navigation display for facilitating neural navigation, and at least one drive device for positioning at least one tracking device in relation to the tool in real-time, whereby real-time alignment data is achievable, and whereby at least one neurological structure is preservable.

Abstract: In order to assist the interpretation of a radiation image in which an abnormality appears, the invention provides a diagnostic auxiliary image generation apparatus, a diagnostic auxiliary image generation method, and a non-transitory computer readable recording medium recorded with a diagnostic auxiliary image generation program for generating a diagnostic auxiliary image. In a case where a past radiation image is present, a temporal difference image generation unit generates and sets a temporal difference image as a diagnostic auxiliary image only in a case where the projected images of a diagnostic target radiation image and the past radiation image match each other. In a case where a past radiation image is not present or the projected images of a diagnostic target radiation image and a past radiation image do not match each other, a bone-suppressed image generation unit generates and sets a bone-suppressed image as a diagnostic auxiliary image.

Abstract: A method comprises generating an image of a set of connected passageways of a patient anatomy and modeling the set of connected passageways of the patient anatomy as a structure of linked bounded-surface elements. The method also comprises receiving position information for a point on an instrument indicating a position of the point relative to the connected passageways and generating adjusted position information for the point including comparing the received position information to the structure of linked bounded-surface elements. The method also comprises creating an adjusted instrument image with the adjusted position information and generating a composite image including the image of the set of connected passageways and the adjusted instrument image.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for controlling interventional devices using magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) guidance. In some aspects, the method includes arranging a pivoting guide about a subject's anatomy that is configured to direct an interventional device toward a selected target point within the subject's anatomy, generating, using an MRI system, MR data associated with markers placed on the pivoting guide, and determining a vector defining an orientation of the pivoting guide from locations for the markers identified using the MR data. The method also includes orienting the pivoting guide in multiple directions to determine multiple vectors, and identifying a pivot point for the pivoting guide using the determined vectors. The method further includes determining a trajectory for the interventional device using the identified pivot point and the selected target point, and controlling the interventional device along the determined trajectory.

Abstract: The invention relates to determining a fetal heart rate from an ultrasonic Doppler echo signal. Rather than extracting the Doppler signal from the carrier signal using synchronous demodulation, quadrature demodulation is used, which allows to distinguish between systolic and diastolic movements. This velocity direction can be used to cut out unwanted parts of the signal (systolic or diastolic heart activity), thus eliminating double counting heart rates. In particular, a binary sign signal (15?) may be used to cut out unwanted signal episodes, resulting in a processed reference signal (10?) having only the signal parts of one heart activity. Another aspect relates to determining a first and a second heart rate from at least two channels having a different depth range, and selecting one of the first and second heart rate based on external information of the fetal or maternal heart rate.

Abstract: An ultrasound system and method for generating an elastic image are disclosed. The ultrasound system includes an ultrasound probe and a processor. The ultrasound probe is configured to transmit ultrasound signals into a target object and receive ultrasound echo signals from the target object while the ultrasound probe applies a variable compression force on the target object.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus, including eyewear and a contact lens, for delivering sound energy to an eye, comprising two or more sonic or ultrasonic transducers that emit sound energy, wherein each transducer is (i) operably linked to a power source and (b) capable of emitting sound energy at more than one frequency and for a variable time period; and a positioning mechanism to position the transducers at an exterior surface of an eye so as to deliver sound energy to an internal part of the eye, for example the Schlemm's canal or trabecular meshwork.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to imaging biomarkers for determining neurological disease states of a subject are provided. In one embodiment, a method for producing an image indicative of a neurological disease using a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system is provided. The method includes directing the MRI system to perform a double inversion-recovery (“DIR”) pulse sequence to generate data where signals from gray matter and cerebral spinal fluid are substantially suppressed. The method also includes analyzing the DIR images, reconstructed from the acquired data, to identify cortical and white matter lesions. This includes identifying imaging biomarkers based on visual signatures of brain tissue, including white matter tissue. In some aspects, diffusion-weighted data may also be obtained using the MRI system.

Abstract: Blood flow rates can be calculated using diffuse speckle contrast analysis in spatial and time domains. In the spatial domain analysis, a multi-pixel image sensor can be used to detect a spatial distribution of speckles in a sample caused by diffusion of light from a coherent light source that is blurred due to the movement of scatterers within the sample (e.g., red blood cells moving within a tissue sample). Statistical analysis of the spatial distribution can be used to calculate blood flow. In the time domain analysis, a slow counter can be used to obtain time-series fluctuations in light intensity in a sample caused by diffusion of light in the sample that is smoothened due to the movement of scatterers. Statistical analysis of the time-series data can be used to calculate blood flow.

Abstract: Structures and techniques are provided for shaping or steering a light field for an optical biological parameter sensor such that the light is partially or wholly collimated and enters a person's skin at an oblique angle to the person's skin such that the light has a direction component oriented towards or away from a photodetector of the optical biological parameter sensor.

Abstract: A system including a thermal sensor with an instrument placed in a volume. The thermal sensor may be useful in determining a temperature at a surface of the instrument and a distance away from the instrument. A therapy may be performed based on a sensed temperature with the thermal sensors.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a reliable apparatus for guiding an ablation probe to a target location inside a human body is thus provided. The apparatus allows incorporation of a conventional metal operating room table, but further comprises a substantially non-conductive separation structure positioned over the metal operating room table and underneath a horizontally oriented electromagnetic field generator. The resultant structure is adapted to support a human body in the prone or supine position over the operating table. Further support padding may also be provided. The electromagnetic field generator creates an electromagnetic field that extends through the torso of said human body positioned over the electromagnetic field generator. An ultrasound probe and ablation probe interacts with the electromagnetic field to generate positional information that is processed by a computing device to generate a graphic representation of location information on a display device.

Abstract: A deep machine-learning approach is used for medical image fusion by a medical imaging system. This one approach may be used for different applications. For a given application, the same deep learning is used but with different application-specific training data. The resulting deep-learnt classifier provides a reduced feature vector in response to input of intensities of one image and displacement vectors for patches of the one image relative to another image. The output feature vector is used to determine the deformation for medical image fusion.

Abstract: A multi-modal catheter combining at least NIRF and IVUs imaging channels used to reveal integrated biological and structural features of a lumen intravascularly imaged through flowing blood in vivo and corrected for distance-related attenuation and/or scattering parameters of in vivo blood to compensate for discovered overestimation of the degree of in-vivo-blood attenuation of NIRF signal Enhancing the sensitivity of detection of vascular injury and/or plaque deposition beyond the capability of a standalone IVUS imaging as a result of the use of such corrected catheter.