Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for finding out a specific portion for recording the activity accurately and easily in recording the activity of an organism specimen in vivo. An organism specimen (3) with a fluorescent substance expressed at the specific portion (3a) is prepared. An optical fiber (7) is inserted into the organism specimen (3). An excitation rays (4) irradiate the inside of the organism specimen (3) through the optical fiber (7) by a first optical system (9) of a fluorescence microscope (6). The fluorescence (5) by the excitation rays (4) is observed through the optical fiber (7) by a second optical system (10) of the fluorescence microscope (6). In this case, the optical fiber (7) is inserted at the specific portion (3a) of the organism specimen or in the vicinity thereof.

Abstract: A radiographic image diagnosis apparatus includes a photographing unit having a radiation source and a 2D radiation detector to generate data of a fluoroscopic image of an object to be examined. Volume data is generated on the basis of the data of plurality of fluoroscopic images of the object at different angles which are acquired by the photographing unit. A measuring mechanism measures the position and angle of the photographing unit with respect to the object. Projection image data is generated from the volume data on the basis of the position and angle of the photographing unit which are measured by the measuring mechanism. The volume data is then displayed. This makes it possible to display the projection image with substantially the same position and direction as those of a fluoroscopic image.

Abstract: An MRI array coil system for neurovascular and spine imaging of a human includes a neck coil having a split top; a dome-like head coil having a dome region, the head coil being slidable between a closed position adjacent to the neck coil and an open position spaced away from the neck coil; a posterior torso coil attached to the neck coil; and an anterior torso coil adapted to cooperate with the posterior coil.

Abstract: A system for generating a three-dimensional image of the compressed breast 40 of a subject includes an x-ray mammography unit 24 for generating x-ray mammography data, a mechanical scanner 20 including an x-ray mammography compression paddle assembly 22, a control and motion system 26, 28 for driving the mechanical scanner 20 and for sensing the control and motion system's position, an ultrasound probe 32 for generating ultrasound image data in spatial registration with the x-ray mammography unit 24, and a computer 38 for generating from the ultrasound image data and the x-ray mammography data the three-dimensional ultrasound image.

Abstract: When a fluorescence image is to be displayed, a region of interest in a living body is irradiated with excitation light so that the fluorescence emitted therefrom is detected by a cold CCD camera via image fibers. A color mosaic filter is fixed on the detection surface of the cold CCD camera so that the fluorescence is separated into three fluorescence components corresponding to red, green and blue wavelength ranges before being detected. The signal intensity corresponding to the red wavelength range is divided by the total signal intensity which is the sum of the signal intensities corresponding to the red, green and blue wavelength ranges. A visual image displayed on the monitor is based on thus divided signal intensity. As it is quite rare that the total signal intensity becomes zero, occurrence of an operation error due to division by the value of zero can be restrained.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus which comprises a main housing with a shock wave generator and with a coupling membrane and a receiving space arranged therebetween for a coupling fluid which can be controlled with respect to quantity. The receiving space communicates with a control space which can be impinged by a gaseous control force. For the supply of the gaseous control force to the control space a pressurized gas leading control conduit with only a slight flow cross section is required.

Abstract: An ocular examination system includes an illumination system illuminating a region of an eye fundus including a target blood vessel and adjusting the intensity of light illuminating the region, an image pickup device receiving light scattered from the region and producing signals in response to receiving the scattered light from the region, a control system receiving the signals and computing the diameter of the target blood vessel based on the signals, and a tracking system performing an automatic tracking operation on the target blood vessel based on the signals. The control system controls the illumination system to increase the intensity of the illumination applied to the region when the automatic tracking operation and the target-blood-vessel-diameter computation are simultaneously performed above the level of the illumination applied to the region when the automatic tracking operation is performed while the target-blood-vessel-diameter computation is not performed.

Abstract: An intravascular imaging guidewire which can accomplish longitudinal translation of an imaging plane allowing imaging, by acoustic other high quality imaging energy, of an axial length of a region of interest without moving the guidewire. The imaging guidewire comprises a body in the form of a flexible elongate tubular member. An elongate flexible imaging core is slidably received within the body. The imaging core includes a shaft having an imaging device mounted on its distal end. The body and the imaging core are cooperatively constructed to enable axial translation of the imaging core and imaging device relative to the body. The body has a transparent distal portion extending an axial length over which axially translatable imaging may be performed. The imaging guidewire has a maximum diameter over its entire length sized to be received within a guidewire lumen of an intravascular catheter.

Abstract: A method of creating an image of brain fibers includes exposing the brain fibers to a magnetic resonance imaging process. The data acquisition from the magnetic resonance imaging includes the acquisition of diffusion-weighted, images that are later employed to calculate an apparent diffusion constant at each pixel along more than six axes. The data is introduced into a microprocessor which calculates six variable in a diffusion tensor and obtains a plurality of eigen values and eigen vectors. This may be accomplished by employing a diffusion sensor which is diagonalized to obtain three eigen values and three eigen vectors with the six values being subjected to further microprocessing to generate imaging information representing the properties of the fibers.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for locating the position, preferably in three dimensions, of a sensor by generating magnetic fields which are detected at the sensor. The magnetic fields are generated from a plurality of locations and, in one embodiment of the invention, enable both the orientation and location of a single coil sensor to be determined. The present invention thus finds application in many areas where the use of prior art sensors comprising two or more mutually perpendicular coils is inappropriate.

Abstract: A catheter tube carries an imaging element for visualizing tissue. The catheter tube also carries a support structure, which extends beyond the imaging element for contacting surrounding tissue away from the imaging elements, the imaging element being movable with the support structure. The support element stabilizes the imaging element, while the imaging element visualizes tissue in the interior body region. The support structure also carries a diagnostic or therapeutic component to contact surrounding tissue.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing robotically-assisted surgical procedures on a patient enable an image display device to provide an operator with auxiliary information related to the surgical procedure, in addition to providing an image of the surgical site itself. The systems and methods allow an operator to selectively access and reference auxiliary information on the image display device during the performance of a surgical procedure.

Abstract: A fluorescence diagnosis system includes an exciting light projector which projects onto an organic part to be observed exciting light which is in a predetermined wavelength range suitable for exciting intrinsic fluorophore of the organic part to emit auto fluorescence. The intensity of the auto fluorescence emitted from the intrinsic fluorophore of the organic part to be observed upon excitation by the exciting light is detected. A plurality of characteristic values are obtained from the intensity of the auto. The condition of the organic part to be observed is recognized on the basis of the characteristic values in which the characteristic values comprise an intensity of the auto fluorescence and a normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence, or a fluorescence yield of the auto fluorescence and a normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided that provides a ring of light around a junction to be viewed; the ring of light being bright enough to be seen on the other side of the junction. Such an arrangement may be used in severing an anatomic body, such as the cervix, from the vagina whereby a surgeon viewing the structure from the pelvic cavity has the junction outlined in light brought into contact with the junction through the vagina.

Abstract: A method of and a device for the endoscopic fluorescence diagnosis of tissue, wherein the tissue is exposed to stimulating light via an endoscope for stimulation of fluorescence, which stimulating light is suitable, on account of its spectral distribution, to stimulate at least two different fluorescence modes in the tissue without filter switching in the stimulation beam path, and wherein the fluorescence light of the different fluorescence modes can be selectively observed.

Abstract: A medical instrument uses solid tapered cones mounted to a preferably concave, spherically curved, piezoelectric ultrasound transducer which focuses and concentrates the ultrasound energy to a narrow tip so very high levels of ultrasound can be delivered to the tissue adjacent to the tip. Ultrasound matching layers or variable curvature geometries are employed at the tip aid in transferring the energy from the tip to the tissue.

Abstract: A method of treatment of a human or animal body by sonodynamic therapy in which a sensitizer agent is administered to the body and the body is exposed to ultrasound to achieve a cytopathogenic effect at a site therein, wherein the said sensitizer agent is a physiologically tolerable substance which is capable of enhancing the cytopathogenic efficacy of said sonodynamic therapy. Preferably, the sensitizer agent is a water-soluble polymer compound or a conjugate thereof.

Abstract: An endoscope system is provided with a normal light image capturing system, a fluorescent light image capturing system, and an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) image capturing system. The normal light image, the fluorescent light image and the OCT image are displayed on a screen of a display device simultaneously. Optionally, one of the normal light image or the fluorescent light image is displayed as an animated image, and the OCT image is also displayed as an animated image. A cursor indicating a scanning position corresponding to the OCT image is indicated on one of the normal light image and the fluorescent light image displayed as the animated image.

Abstract: An inherently de-coupled sandwiched solenoidal array coil (SSAC) is disclosed for use in receiving nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) radio frequency (RF) signals in both horizontal and vertical-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. In its most basic configuration, the SSAC comprises two coaxial RF receive coils. The first coil of the array has two solenoidal (or loop) sections that are separated from one another along a common axis. The two sections are electrically connected in series but the conductors in each section are wound in opposite directions so that a current through the coil sets up a magnetic field of opposite polarity in each section. The second coil of the SSAC is disposed (“sandwiched”) between the two separated solenoidal sections of the first coil in a region where the combined opposing magnetic fields cancel to become a null.

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for treating a biological sample by emitting focused high intensity ultrasounds towards a focal point, characterised in that it comprises means emitting wideband focused ultrasounds. The apparatus enables to adjust the focused ultrasound frequency according to the target attenuation, the thickness of the tissues traversed, the temperature evolution, or the lesion displacement during emission.