Abstract: A system for performing surgery by vibrational heating employs an ultrasonic transducer 80 for focusing a spherical ultrasound wave on a focal region. In one embodiment a refraction plate 410 having a spherical surface facing the transducer and a refracting surface with refracting pyramid elements 450 facing the subject causes the ultrasound beam to impinge on a plurality of overlapping focal regions and thereby expand the focal area of the transducer. In a second embodiment the refraction plate comprises a phased lens 600 having a constant thickness at any angular location but with its thickness varying linearly over 2.pi. radians or multiples thereof.

Abstract: A system for displaying sets of surface cubes with gradient vertex vectors first employs a pointer table constructed to order the surface cubes so as to generally cause a row by row and layer by layer ordering during model creation. During display, a viewpoint is selected and a scan controller causes cubes to be displayed according to this order of the pointer table. A test backprojection of cubes to image plane is performed to determine which pixels will be impinged by the cubes. For pixels which have not been updated, or pixels which have been updated by a less superficial cube than the current cube, projection rays are created through the center of impinged pixels in a direction opposite that of the backprojection. An intersection point of the ray with a surface within a current cube is determined. The data value and gradient vectors for the current cube are interpolated at this intersection point.

Abstract: A system for treating a prostate includes an acoustic carrier, a phase fresnel zone in a section of the acoustic carrier, and an acoustic transducer. The phase fresnel zone is formed in the acoustic carrier adjacent a first end of the acoustic carrier and extends at least partially around the outer surface of the acoustic carrier. An acoustic transducer is coupled to a second end of the acoustic carrier. In treating the prostate, which surrounds a urethra, the acoustic carrier is inserted into the urethra and positioned so that the phase fresnel zone is situated in a region of the urethra surrounded by the prostate. Acoustic waves are transmitted into the second end of the acoustic carrier and the phase fresnel zone focuses the acoustic waves to constructively interfere at the location in the prostate. By moving the acoustic carrier, the phase fresnel zone may be moved along at least a portion of the region of the urethra surrounded by the prostate while the acoustic waves are being transmitted.

Abstract: An interactive surgery planning and display system mixes live video of external surfaces of the patient with interactive computer generated models of internal anatomy obtained from medical diagnostic imaging data of the patient. The computer images and the live video are coordinated and displayed to a surgeon in real-time during surgery allowing the surgeon to view internal and external structures and the relation between them simultaneously, and adjust his surgery accordingly. In an alternative embodiment, a normal anatomical model is also displayed as a guide in reconstructive surgery. Another embodiment employs three-dimensional viewing.

Abstract: NMR images indicative of thermal changes in tissues undergoing therapy are produced using a gradient-recalled double-echo pulse sequence. A reference phase image is produced using a short echo time (TE.sub.1) and a measurement phase image is produced with a longer echo time (TE.sub.2). Temperature maps are produced during therapy using the phase difference information at corresponding pixels of the two phase images.

Abstract: A multi-dimensional data set acquired by non-intrusive means with the use of a surface coil of internal structures of internal structures of a subject. The data set is adjusted for the differential sensitivity of the surface coil with respect to distance from the coil and angle in relation to the coil. The adjusted data set then is searched for abrupt changes in value in the data set indicating surfaces. The surfaces then may be manipulated, shaded, color coded and displayed. This is particularly useful in when employed on a data set which images blood for providing surface images of coronary arteries of the subject for non-invasive detection of occlusion and stenosis.