Abstract: The invention relates to an MR imaging method in which the parallel acquisition of the MR data, for example in conformity with the SMASH or SENSE methods, is performed by means of a plurality of receiving coils. The different spatial sensitivity profiles of the receiving coils are used for the image reconstruction. When the sensitivity data used during the image reconstruction do not correspond to the position in space of the receiving coils during the image acquisition, undesirable image artifacts will occur. In accordance with the invention such artifacts are eliminated by (virtually) adapting the spatial sensitivity profiles automatically during the image reconstruction.

Abstract: A compression technique, for use in a network environment, compresses transform data to improve transmission rates in low bandwidth applications. The source data is decomposed into transform data that consists of spatially related coefficients. In a client-server environment, a client issues a request, which defines a block of the coefficients and at least one quantization value, for source data. In response to the client request, the server extracts transform data defined by the request. The transform data is quantized, in accordance with the quantization value, and is compressed to generate compressed data. The server transfers the compressed data to the client. The client decompresses the compressed data to obtain quantized data, and de-quantizes the quantized data to recover the transform data. The client then reconstructs the original source data from the transform data. Techniques for transmitting to the client incremental data, for use in conjunction with cached data, is disclosed.

Abstract: An X-ray imaging method comprises forming 2-dimensional X-ray images of an object to be examined, for example the coronary vascular system of a patient, and reconstruction of a 3-dimensional volume thereof. With a relatively long run length of a scan rotation over substantially 180° of at least 15 sec. and preferably about 20 sec. A sufficient number of images is obtained to perform a more accurate volume reconstruction. This reconstruction method may be combined with existing modelling techniques.

Abstract: A control circuit for use in a video processor utilizes combined automatic kinescope bias (AKB) control, and average individual beam current sensing and limiting in at least one CRT. The control circuit includes automatic kinescope bias (AKB) control circuitry for detecting a magnitude of individual red (R), green (G) and blue (B) cathode currents driving corresponding R, G and B CRTs, generating R, G and B average cathode current control signals therefrom, and using the R, G and B average cathode current control signals as feedback to the video processor to reduce the R, G and B cathode currents approximately equal current amounts.

Abstract: In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method of and system for improving temporal consistency of an enhanced signal representative of at least one frame using a sharpness enhancement algorithm with an enhancement gain are provided. The method comprises the steps of: receiving the enhanced signal comprising at least one frame, obtaining an enhancement gain for each pixel in the frame, retrieving an enhancement gain value of each pixel in a reference frame from a gain memory using motion vectors, identifying if the frame is an I, P or B frame type and determining an updated enhancement gain for an I frame type by calculating a gain map for use in the sharpness enhancement algorithm. The updated enhancement gain of each pixel is equal to enhancement gain previously determined for use in the sharpness enhancement algorithm.

Abstract: The proposed MRI apparatus provides a solution to the problem of a limited number of receiver channels. The main idea is to make use of the imaging parameters when selecting and/or combining the RF signals of at least two RF coils into separate receiver channels. Such an imaging parameter may be, for example, the phase encoding direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of and a device for the formation of a three-dimensional image data set of a periodically moving body organ (11) of a patient (5) by means of an X-ray device (1) which includes an X-ray source and an X-ray detector (3), a motion signal (H, B) which is related to the periodic motion of the body organ (11) being measured simultaneously with the acquisition of the projection data sets (D0, D1, . . . , D16). In order to improve such a method or such a device, notably in order to improve the construction and to reduce the time required for data processing while keeping the radiation dose for the patient as small as possible and while ensuring an as high as possible image quality, the invention proposes to acquire the projection data sets (D0, D1, . . . , D16) necessary for the formation of the three-dimensional image data set successively from different X-ray positions (p0, p1, . . .

Abstract: The invention relates to an image processing method of extracting geometrical data of the spine, for extracting the left and right pedicle landmarks of each spine vertebra, comprising steps of: acquiring image data of a 2-D frontal image of the spine; associating spine States to vertebra positions along the spine and estimating locations of left and right pedicle landmark Candidates in each State; defining a State Cost for forming Couples of left and right pedicle landmark Candidates (PL and PR); estimating sets of Best Couple Candidates, in each State, from the lowest State Costs; defining a Path Cost to go from one State to the next State; selecting a pedicle landmark Couple in each spine State (V) among the Best Couple Candidates from the minimum Path Costs, and localizing the left and right pedicle landmarks of each spine vertebra from said selected pedicle landmark Couple. The invention also relates to a system, a medical apparatus and a program product for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An image detector includes a sensor matrix with a plurality of sensor elements for converting radiation into electrical charges and with several line conductors. The sensor elements are arranged in columns and rows. Separate sensor elements are coupled to at least one of the line conductors. Separate groups of sensor elements in one column and/or in one row of the matrix are coupled to different line conductors and at least one line conductor is coupled to sensor elements of at least two columns or of at least two rows.

Abstract: A micro-machined ultrasonic transducer (MUT) substrate that reduces or eliminates the lateral propagation of acoustic energy includes holes, commonly referred to as vias, formed in the substrate and proximate to a MUT element. The vias in the MUT substrate reduce or eliminate the propagation of acoustic energy traveling laterally in the MUT substrate. The vias can be doped to provide an electrical connection between the MUT element and circuitry present on the surface of an integrated circuit substrate over which the MUT substrate is attached.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving transducer response sensitivity in an ultrasound-imaging system are disclosed. One method includes selecting a desired transmit spectrum, quantifying the transmit channel impulse response, calculating a drive signal that when applied to the transmit channel will produce the desired transmit spectrum and applying the drive signal to the transducer. The method may be applied in principle to the receive channels. An improved ultrasound-imaging system in accordance with the invention includes a transducer and a switch controlled to apply an excitation signal to the transducer in a transmit mode of the ultrasound-imaging system. A signal shaper is configured to generate an excitation signal in response to the impulse response of the transmit channel such that a desired ultrasound energy waveform is generated by the transducer. An adaptable filter responsive to a desired echo spectrum and the impulse response of the receive channel of the system may be included.

Abstract: Robust acoustic tone features are achieved first by the introduction of on-line, look-ahead trace back of the fundamental frequency (F0) contour with adaptive pruning, this fundamental frequency serves as the signal preprocessing front-end. The F0 contour is subsequently decomposed into lexical tone effect, phrase intonation effect, and random effect by means of time-variant, weighted moving average (MA) filter in conjunction with weighted (placing more emphasis on vowels) least squares of the F0 contour. The intonation effect is removed by subtraction of the F0 contour under superposition assumption. The acoustic tone features are defined as two parts. First, is the coefficients of the second order weighted regression of the de-intonation of the F0 contour over neighbouring frames. The second part deals with the degree of the periodicity of the signal, which are the coefficients of the second order regression of the auto-correlation.

Abstract: A system and method of ultrasound quantification acquires acoustic image data from anatomic locations distributed in more than 2 dimensions, and uses a segmentation algorithm to provide real-time volume measurements. A 2D array is used to acquire two orthogonal (bi-plane) 2D images simultaneously. The images are segmented individually to determine the volume borders using any number of acoustic algorithms. The borders from the two bi-plane images are mathematically combined to give a volume measurement. A control processor controls the system to thereby obtain instant feedback of the segmented image data and enhance the volume measurements of the image. The system and method is extended to a number of simultaneous 2D images and to a full 3D volume acquisition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (MRI apparatus) which is provided with an open magnet system and in which there are generated a basic magnetic field (vertical field) which perpendicularly traverses an object to be examined and also an RF field, which MRI apparatus is characterized notably in that coupling effects between a dipole structure (11, 12, 13), formed by the magnet system (10), and an RF conductor structure (20, 21, 22) are eliminated at least to a high degree by shifting or detuning a self-resonant frequency of the dipole structure relative to the MR frequency or by suppressing a self-resonant frequency of the dipole structure.

Abstract: A system and method for visualizing scene shift over successive ultrasound scan frames is disclosed. In one embodiment the invention is a system for real-time visualization of scene shift in an ultrasound scan, comprising an ultrasound receiver for developing a first ultrasound image and a second ultrasound image, border formation software for determining a first border corresponding to the first ultrasound image and a second border corresponding to the second ultrasound image, and image misalignment detection software for overlaying the first border on the second border to determine whether the first border aligns with the second border. Corresponding systems, methods and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for modifying medical diagnostic images. A method for removing sensitive data from one or more diagnostic images generally includes retrieving one or more images, identifying patient sensitive information, modifying the one or more images responsive to the step of identifying by obscuring the sensitive data, and exporting the modified diagnostic images to a storage device. The method may be implemented by an image enhancer capable of removing or masking sensitive data through a user interface, an input device, and an image editor. In response to an operator's inputs, the image editor may be apply one or more masks to obscure patient sensitive data from both still images and image loops in a variety of image display formats.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus (1) comprising a gradient coil assembly (3, 4, 5) for generating gradient magnetic fields in an imaging volume, the gradient coil assembly (3, 4, 5) comprising at least three gradient coils (6) for generating three different gradient magnetic fields. In order to compensate self-induced eddy currents in the gradient coils it is proposed according to the invention to provide a conductive element (71, 72, 73) in close proximity to at least one of the gradient coils (6) in order to compensate self-induced eddy currents in the gradient coil assembly (3, 4, 5). It is thus achieved that undesirable high-order behaviour of the gradient coils is suppressed and that conductive elements (71, 72, 73) are provided in the gradient coil assembly (3, 4, 5) such that undesirable high-order behavior of the gradient coils (3, 4, 5) is suppressed and the nature of the short term self-eddy field becomes similar to that of the gradient coils (3, 4, 5).

Abstract: The invention relates to an image processing method for noise filtering an image sequence representing a threadlike structure on a background, including an acquisition of point data in first and second sequence images and an estimation of the corresponding filtered point data for constructing a filtered second image. The method is, performed in each sequence image, and includes: extracting the threadlike structure points, forming strings from the extracted points, temporally filtering the data of the points located outside the strings denoted background points, spatially filtering the data of the string points, and constructing the filtered second image data by performing an insertion of the spatially filtered data of the string points into the temporally filtered data of the background points.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ultrasound transducer (60), which includes forming a plate into a hollow spherical cap by deformation, wherein the plate is initially in the form of a disc of a composite piezoelectric material. The step of forming is preceded by at least one slit (70) into the plate, wherein the at least one slit has a radial orientation and extends from the peripheral edge (72) of the disc (20) towards its center (C). After the step of forming, two facing, oppositely situated free edges (74, 76) which bound the slit (70) are substantially in contact with one another so as to minimize internal stresses in the cap caused by the deformation. A transducer obtained by such a method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system of forming an X-ray layer image of an object being examined by an X-ray device having an X-ray source and an X-ray detector is described. At least one of the X-ray source and the X-ray detector can be displaced in an angular range around the object in order that X-ray projection images are acquired from different directions. When forming only a single X-ray layer image, or a plurality of X-ray layer images of parallel layers of the object, the time required for the acquisition of the X-ray projection images is notably reduced by forming the X-ray layer image directly from the X-ray projection images, where the resulting X-ray layer image is situated in a plane which extends essentially perpendicularly to the bisector of the angular range of displacement. The angular range of displacement can be less then 180°. The system and method is notably applicable to a C-arm X-ray device, in which the angular range can be chosen at will.