Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a biopsy needle device comprising a biopsy needle attachment mechanism arranged to mechanically couple a biopsy needle to the biopsy needle device, an actuator mechanism comprising a transducer configured to interconnect electrical signals at one port to mechanical motion at another port, the actuator mechanism configured to transmit flexural vibration to the biopsy needle when the biopsy needle is coupled to the biopsy needle device, a sensor device configured to measure a power of the flexural vibration transmitted to the biopsy needle via the transducer and a reflected power of flexural vibration received by the biopsy needle device from the biopsy needle, and circuitry configured to determine a difference between the power of the flexural vibration transmitted to the biopsy needle and the reflected power of flexural vibration received by the biopsy needle device from the biopsy needle.

Abstract: The inventive device is a mechanical wave inducing device being connectable to a needle. The device has a displacement source and a driving signal connection part in order to connect the displacement source to a signal source. The device has also two connections parts, which are connected to the displacement source, and which each wing part has a connection point to be attached with the needle. The wing parts are converters in order to convert longitudinal mechanical wave movement created by the displacement source into transversal mechanical wave movement for the needle, and at least one connection point is designed to match the transversal mechanical waves to the needle.

Abstract: A probe including a shaft on which an ultrasound element is mounted, an outer sheath and an acoustic membrane surrounding the shaft and the ultrasound element such that the shaft and ultrasound element are rotatable therein. Passages may supply a cooling and acoustic coupling fluid to an inlet and outlet adjacent the acoustic element to cool the acoustic element and fill a volume between the acoustic element and the acoustic sheath with the fluid. A balloon may be mounted on the probe to be selectively inflated to fix a position of the probe. A drain for urine and other bodily fluids may be provided through the probe.

Abstract: A device positions an ultrasound transducer for ultrasound therapy to focus a treatment beam emitted by the ultrasound transducer at tissue of interest. The device includes at least three anchors which support the ultrasound transducer. The device further includes at least three extendable structures, each with a coupling that supports a corresponding one of the at least three anchors. A drive mechanism of the device independently drives each of the at least three extendable structures towards or away from a subject to move the ultrasound transducer within at least three degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A device (16) positions an ultrasound transducer (14) for ultrasound therapy to focus a treatment beam (12) emitted by the ultrasound transducer (14) at tissue of interest. The device (16) includes at least three anchors (20) which support the ultrasound transducer (14). The device (16) further includes at least three extendable structures (24), each with a coupling (22) that supports a corresponding one of the at least three anchors (20). A drive mechanism (100) of the device (16) independently drives each of the at least three extendable structures (24) towards or away from a subject to move the ultrasound transducer (14) within at least three degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A probe (40) includes a shaft (52) on which an ultrasound element (42) is mounted. An outer sheath (64) and an acoustic membrane (66) surround the shaft and the ultrasound element such that the shaft and ultrasound element are rotatable therein. Passages (56) supply a cooling and acoustic coupling fluid to an inlet and outlet (48) adjacent the acoustic element to cool the acoustic element and fill a volume between the acoustic element and the acoustic sheath with the fluid. A balloon (90) mounted on the probe is selectively inflated in order to fix a position of the probe. A drain (94, 98) drains urine and other bodily fluids through the probe.

Abstract: A coils array (40, 40?) including a plurality of coils (71, 72, 73) receives magnetic resonance signals from an examination region of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner (10). Each coil has mixing circuitry (74, 75, 76, 80, 81, 82) that frequency-shifts the received magnetic resonance signal to a selected transmission channel frequency. The coils array further includes combining circuitry (90) that combines the frequency-shifted magnetic resonance signals to produce an analog frequency domain multiplexed transmission signal output of the coils array. Receiver electronics (56, 56?) receive the analog frequency domain multiplexed transmission signal from the coils array.

Abstract: A coils array (40, 40?) including a plurality of coils (71, 72, 73) receives magnetic resonance signals from an examination region of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner (10). Each coil has mixing circuitry (74, 75, 76, 80, 81, 82) that frequency-shifts the received magnetic resonance signal to a selected transmission channel frequency. The coils array further includes combining circuitry (90) that combines the frequency-shifted magnetic resonance signals to produce an analog frequency domain multiplexed transmission signal output of the coils array. Receiver electronics (56, 56?) receive the analog frequency domain multiplexed transmission signal from the coils array.

Abstract: A device (16) positions an ultrasound transducer (14) for ultrasound therapy to focus a treatment beam (12) emitted by the ultrasound transducer (14) at tissue of interest. The device (16) includes at least three anchors (20) which support the ultrasound transducer (14). The device (16) further includes at least three extendable structures (24), each with a coupling (22) that supports a corresponding one of the at least three anchors (20). A drive mechanism (100) of the device (16) independently drives each of the at least three extendable structures (24) towards or away from a subject to move the ultrasound transducer (14) within at least three degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance position and orientation marking system includes fiducial assembly (30) with at least three fiducial markers (31, 32, 33) each coupled with at least one magnetic resonance receive coil (70, 74, 80, 84). At least one of the fiducial markers has at least one of: (i) marker nuclei selectively excitable over 1H fat and water resonance, 5 and (ii) a plurality of magnetic resonance receive coils (70, 84) coupled therewith. At least two magnetic resonance receive channels (40, 42) receive magnetic resonance signals from the at least three fiducial markers (31, 32, 33) responsive to excitation of magnetic resonance in said at least three fiducial markers by a magnetic resonance imaging scanner (10).

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of electron spin resonance enhanced magnetic resonance imaging which relies on ex vivo dynamic nuclear polarisation of an MR imaging agent.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method for magnetic resonance imaging, an imaging field (B.sub.p) and a pre-polarization field (B.sub.p) are generated by means of electromagnetic coils ALC in an air gap between pole pieces of a magnet core. The pole pieces are designed such that, as the current in the coils is increased, the field strength increases only in the central area between pole pieces up to the strength (B.sub.p) of the pre-polarization field. This is due to the saturation of the edge zones of pole pieces that restricts the increase of field strength in the edge zones of the air gap.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of eliminating the effect of temperature, air pressure and/or a disturbing material component or a like parameter in photometric analysis in which is generated a so-called dark signal, the passage of emitted radiation for detection being blocked at that time, a reference signal for one or more material components to be measured, said reference signal not being affected by said material component to be measured, as well as for each material component to be measured a measuring signal representing the amount of material component to be measured. According to the invention, whenever the difference between a reference signal and a measuring signal changes due to a change in any of the above parameters, there is generated a control signal which represents said parametric change and is proportional thereto, said control signal serving to change the difference between a reference signal and a dark signal in order to compensate for said parametric change.