Abstract: A medical probe, consisting of a flexible insertion tube, having a distal end for insertion into a body cavity of a patient, and a distal tip, which is disposed at the distal end of the flexible insertion tube is configured to be brought into contact with tissue in the body cavity. The probe also includes a coupling member, which couples the distal tip to the distal end of the insertion tube and which consists of a tubular piece of an elastic material having a plurality of intertwined helical cuts therethrough along a portion of a length of the piece.

Abstract: Systems and methods for remote photoplethysmography and in particular for determining vital sign information of a subject are provided. The system includes a marker that is applied to a skin of the subject. The marker further includes a first marker area configured to transmit light at a first wavelength and a second marker area configured to transmit light at a second wavelength. The system further includes a detection unit that detects radiation received from the first marker area and from the second marker area of the marker. The system further includes an analysis unit that determines the vital sign information of the subject from the detected radiation from the first marker area and from the second marker area.

Abstract: A method of mapping includes receiving inputs measured by a probe at respective locations inside a body cavity of a subject. At each of the respective locations, a respective contact quality between the probe and a tissue in the body cavity is measured. The inputs for which the respective contact quality is outside a defined range are rejected, and a map of the body cavity is created using the inputs that are not rejected.

Abstract: An electrical insulator is applied to a bone anchor, for instance of a bone implant, such as an external fixation frame, so as to prevent undesirable temperature increases in the bone anchor and surrounding anatomical tissue when subjected magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract: An apparatus is suitable for measuring a photoplethysmogram (PPG). A photoplethysmographic sensor apparatus may include a casing defining a surface, a plurality of optical emitters configured to emit radiation extending from the surface, at least one photo sensor configured to capture radiation emitted by at least a subset of the plurality of optical emitters. At least a first measurement configuration and a second configuration is defined by the plurality of optical emitters and the at least one photo sensor such that the first and the second measurement configuration provide different measurement channels by including at least partially different sets of at least one optical emitter and at least one photo sensor. The first and second measurement configurations define different spatial configurations, each of which is line symmetric with respect to an imaginary line along the surface.

Abstract: A system and methodology for the automated localization, extraction, and analysis of MRI-based features with clinical information to improve the diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The system can automatically identify reference points for pelvic floor measurements on MRI rapidly and consistent. It provides a prediction model that analyzes the correlation between current and new MRI-based features with clinical information to differentiate patients with and without POP. This system will enable the high throughput analysis of MR images for their correlation with clinical information to better detect POP. The presented system can also be applied to the automated localization and extraction of MRI features for the diagnosis of other diseases where clinical examination is not adequate.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for quantifying fluorescence and optical properties in a turbid medium such as tissue are disclosed. One of the methods comprises: providing fluorescence emission and reflectance wavelengths detected from a target surface where each of the detected wavelengths is associated with a respective known distance between a respective excitation source giving rise to the respective detected wavelength and a detector detecting the respective detected wavelength; and calculating the optical properties based on the detected wavelengths and the respective known distances. The known distances may be predetermined to enable calculation of a desired range of values for the optical properties. The calculation of the optical properties may be based on a model of light interaction with the turbid medium where the model limits a range of calculated values for the optical properties.

Abstract: A device for automatically registering the penetration depth of an invasive instrument into an opening and the rotational orientation of an invasive instrument in an opening of a body with the aid of a length-selective and rotation-selective pattern applied to the surface of the instrument, wherein the device has a sensor embodied to surround the instrument in a ring-shaped manner. According to the invention, the sensor is embodied for registering the length-selective and rotation-selective pattern and embodied and provided for the temporary arrangement in the region of the opening for the insertion of the invasive instrument. The device according to the invention has an evaluation unit for evaluating the penetration depth and the rotational orientation of an invasive instrument on the basis of the registered selective pattern.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a dermatological cosmetic treatment and imaging system and method. In some embodiments, the system (20) includes a hand wand (100) with at least one finger activated controller (150, 160), and a removable transducer module (200) having an ultrasound transducer (280). In some embodiments, the system (20) can include a control module (300) that is coupled to the hand wand (100) and has a graphical user interface (310) for controlling the removable transducer module (200), and an interface (130) coupling the hand wand (100) to the control module (300). The interface (130) may provide power to the hand wand or may transfer a signal from the hand wand to the control module. In some embodiments, the cosmetic treatment system (20) may be used in cosmetic procedures on at least a portion of a face, head, neck, and/or other part of a patient.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to acquire images of a subject having inconsistencies in a cardiac cycle of the subject. The process includes receiving an identification of a predetermined point in a cardiac cycle of the subject and, thereupon, performing a saturation module configured to dephase magnetization within a region of interest (ROI) from before the predetermined point. The process also includes performing an inversion module configured to invert spins within the ROI and acquiring medical imaging data from the subject. A delay is inserted between the performance of the saturation module and the performance of the inversion module, wherein a duration of the delay is configured, with the saturation module, to control evidence in the medical imaging data of inconsistencies in the cardiac cycle of the subject by controlling a magnetization history of tissue in the ROI.

Abstract: A method for locating and visualizing a target (C) in relation to a focal point (F2), in a mammal, particularly a human body, including the steps of forming an ultrasound probe mobile in space, mechanically independent of a treatment system and located by a remote locating system, ensuring simultaneous recording firstly of an ultrasound image in which the image of the target appears, and secondly of the position of the ultrasound probe, in the recorded ultrasound image, selecting the position of the image of the target to determine the virtual position of the target (C), simultaneously determining firstly the position of the focal point (F2) by the remote locating system, and secondly the position of the members displacing the target and/or treatment system, and calculating the displacement values for the displacing members, to cause the virtual position of the target (C) to coincide with the focal point (F2).

Abstract: A method of refining an anatomical model includes acquiring a two-dimensional echocardiogram that has a variable intensity, relating the two-dimensional echocardiogram to a plurality of mapping points that exist in three-dimensional space, and determining a confidence value for each of two or more mapping points that corresponds to an intensity at a point on the two-dimensional echocardiogram.

Abstract: An ultrasound unit includes an ultrasound array that has a plurality of ultrasound elements, each of which has a first principal surface that is rectangular where a transmitting and receiving portion, a signal electrode terminal, and a ground electrode terminal are arranged in a longer side direction, longer sides of the ultrasound elements being coupled, one or more short-lines that are connected to a plurality of ground electrode terminals, a ground line that is connected to the short-line, and a plurality of signal lines, each of which is connected to one of the signal electrode terminals, and adjoining ultrasound elements of the ultrasound elements are coupled such that the signal electrode terminals are arranged alternately on opposite sides in the longer side direction of the transmitting and receiving portions that are rectangular.

Abstract: A method for increasing the temporal fidelity, increasing the temporal sampling density, and/or reducing the temporal noise of a series of image frames obtained with a medical imaging system is provided. The image frames are acquired with the medical imaging system. The medical imaging system may be, for example, an x-ray C-arm imaging system. A window function that is representative of a temporal fidelity window is selected and used to temporally deconvolve the image frames using a minimization technique. A temporal sampling density may also be selected and used in the temporal deconvolution. The resultant deconvolved image frames have a higher temporal fidelity to a time-varying image contrast depicted in the acquired image frames, and may also have an increased temporal sampling density and/or reduced temporal noise.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method where the ultrasound transducer position registration is automated, calculates the position of each pixel in the ultrasound image in reference to the predetermined anatomical reference points (AR) and can store the information on demand. The graphic interface associated with the ultrasound image allows for the instant display of selected targets position coordinates relative to anatomical reference points, in the ultrasound images. This system would significantly reduce the ultrasound examination time, by eliminating the time consuming manual labeling of images and speeding up the target finding at subsequent examinations, enhance correlation capability with other diagnostic imaging modalities like CT scans, MRI, mammograms, decrease human errors and fatigue, provide an easy, uniform, method of communicating the target position among healthcare providers.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a position detection unit detects position information of an ultrasonic probe including ultrasonic transducers, with reference to a reference position. A transmission/reception unit supplies a driving signal to each transducer and generates a reception signal based on a reception echo signal generated by the transducer. Based on the reception signal, a three-dimensional data generation unit generates first three-dimensional data, in which a region corresponding to a living body tissue is specified by a specifying unit. A setting unit sets a first viewpoint based on the position information and specified region. An image generation unit generates a rendering image by rendering processing using the first viewpoint and first three-dimensional data.

Abstract: A catheter has single axis sensors mounted directly along a portion of the catheter whose position/location is of interest. The magnetic based, single axis sensors are on a linear or nonlinear single axis sensor (SAS) assembly. The catheter includes a catheter body and a distal 2D or 3D configuration provided by a support member on which at least one, if not at least three single axis sensors, are mounted serially along a length of the support member. The magnetic-based sensor assembly may include at least one coil member wrapped on the support member, wherein the coil member is connected via a joint region to a respective cable member adapted to transmit a signal providing location information from the coil member to a mapping and localization system. The joint region provides strain relief adaptations to the at least one coil member and the respective cable member from detaching.

Abstract: A device includes a housing, a first magnetic field sensor, a second magnetic field sensor, and a control module. The housing is configured to be implanted in a patient. The first magnetic field sensor is located at a first location within the housing and is configured to measure a first strength of a magnetic field at the first location. The second magnetic field sensor is located at a second location within the housing and is configured to measure a second strength of the magnetic field at the second location. The control module is configured to identify a source of the magnetic field based on the first and second strengths.

Abstract: A syringe holding structure includes an adapter case (40) for holding a small-diameter syringe, and a syringe holding member having a flange-receiving groove (77) for holing flange portion (46) of the case(40). The syringe holding structure further includes locking mechanism for fixing the flange portion (46) in the groove (77) when the flange portion is inserted into flange-receiving groove and then it is rotated by 90 degrees about its axis.

Abstract: A needle placement manipulator includes, a needle holder configured to hold a needle, a guide system configured to position the needle holder to a predetermined direction with respect to a subject of needle placement, an attachment including an attaching portion to which the guide system is attached and a setting portion on which an RF-coil is set. A base surface of the setting portion is configured to be disposed on the subject.