Abstract: A method for making an image using a direct thermal imaging element, comprising on a support a thermosensitive layer incorporating an organic silver salt and a reducing agent contained in said thermosensitive layer and/or in other optional layers, said imaging element being imagewise heated by means of a thermal head having energisable heating elements, characterised in that the activation of the heating elements is executed line by line with a line duty cycle .DELTA. representing the ratio of activation time to total line time, such that the following equation is satisfiedP.ltoreq.P.sub.max 3.3 W/mm.sup.2 +(9.5 W/mm.sup.2 .times..DELTA.)wherein P.sub.max is the maximal value over all heating elements of the time averaged power density P dissipated by a heating element during a line time.

Abstract: This continuation-in-part patent application follows the original parent patent application which described a general method of denervation of the nerves in and around the intervertebral disc to relieve back pain using heating from a probe which is inserted within the intervertebral disc. The probe in the original application can be connected to a power source to deliver energy to the disc, thereby heating the disc and denervating the nerves associated with the disc, with consequent relief of various kinds of discogenic pain. This continuation-in-part illustrates other embodiments of the invention described in the parent patent application. In particular, it describes other embodiments of heating methods to denervate the disc, as well as thermal cooling or cryogenic methods to denervate the disc. These methods can be either percutaneous or carried out during open interoperative intervention of the disc.

Abstract: An electrical brain contact device and device for connecting a plurality of lead wires with individual take-up terminals is described. The lead wires in the brain contact device extend to a terminal mount with an array of lead-wire terminals on it. A connector assembly includes a connector block with a matching array of take-up terminals and an elongate cavity to receive the terminal mount, and a mechanism to removably draw the take-up terminals into terminal-to-terminal contact with the terminal mount to facilitate electrical connection.

Abstract: A fast off-line image processing method for radiographic images is disclosed wherein an image is decomposed into detail image and multiple resolution levels and a residual image, detail images are modified up to a preset resolution level and a processed image is reconstructed by means of the modified detail images and the residual image. Interactive processing is performed with different parameter settings.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed for controlling the amount of irradiation effectively emitted by a source of penetrating radiation in a system wherein radiation emitted by said source and attenuated by an object is stored in a photostimulable phosphor screen. An indication of the effectively emitted radiation amount is obtained by means of a difference of a specific signal value and a predetermined signal value.

Abstract: A shield comprising bodies that are opaque to x-rays, is positioned during a known fraction f of an exposure time T between an object to be imaged and a radiation source in a two-dimensional x-ray imaging system. The radiation scatter is calculated from the following values: the radiation received by a radiation detector at the temporarily shielded areas, the radiation received by the detector in areas closely adjacent to said temporarily shielded areas and the fraction f. Scatter values are subtracted from values representing radiation transmitted by the object to obtain a scatter compensated image of the object.

Abstract: A variable gripping jam cleat has an input end and an output end. A V-shaped groove extends longitudinally between the ends of the jam cleat. The V-shaped groove has a longitudinal axis and opposed side walls. The side walls have a number of frictional elements that provide frictional engagement with a line laid in the V-shaped groove. The frictional elements define the V-shape of the V-shaped groove with the angle of the V decreasing from the input end of the jam cleat to its output end.

Abstract: This invention relates to the automatic determination of beam parameters and other criteria to determine a dose plan of radiation on a target volume. The method involves determination of geometric and other radiation involvement criteria, with search of a phase space on the incoming direction of the irradiation beam ports. The evaluation of the goodness of fit, based on parameter thresholds and other considerations, makes it possible to search on the entire phase space of possible beam directions towards the target volume so as to improve the treatment planning dosimetry. The invention applies to circular or non-circular collimator shapes, and can be illustrated by use with a linear accelerator (LINAC) as a means for X-ray delivery to a target volume such as a tumor within a patient's body.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for driving a semiconductor laser device to produce a substantially constant optical power output over a range of temperature while preserving a high optical switching frequency.

Abstract: Radiologists may protect their subjects against unnecessary exposure to X-rays by use of X-ray opaque material. The resulting image contains relatively unexposed regions which comprise the shadow cast by the X-ray opaque material. This invention discloses a method for the automatic determination of the location of the boundary between signal and shadow regions. Many hypotheses as to the location of the boundary are generated and the final decision as to the correct hypothesis is contingent on the results of a number of high-level tests applied to each.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for image scaling of continuous tone images to be rasterized and output to a recording or imaging device using incremental interpolation. The method employs multiple parallel interpolators, each of which contains an accumulation sum to which an accumulation constant is added. When each accumulation sum exceeds a reference value, a transition event is signaled, to be used for selection of contone image data value for processing. By initially loading the accumulation sums with shifted data and employing interpolation logic, multiple transition events can be calculated within one output resolution processing cycle.

Abstract: A phantom for determining attenuation by a combination of materials of polychromatic X-rays comprises a number of tubes that can be positioned in between a source emitting said X-rays and an X-ray detector. The tubes are held in a position so that they are directed towards the position of a source of radiation. In each tube a combination of thicknesses of said materials is provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for enhancing the contrast of a digital image bya) decomposing said original image into a sequence of detail images or into an array of coefficients representing detail strength at multiple resolution levels and a residual image,b) modifying each pixel of each detail image or each detail coefficient according to at least one non-linear monotonically increasing odd conversion function,c) constructing said processed image by accumulating detail obtained from said modified detail images or from said detail coefficients, and further adding said residual image.

Abstract: A noise reducing method and associated apparatus for use in a medical radiographic imaging system wherein an image represented by an array of pixels is processed and the processed image is recorded on a recording medium or visualized on a display monitor. The processing comprises the steps ofa) decomposing an original image into a sequence of detail images or into an array of coefficients representing detail strength at multiple resolution levels and a residual image,b) pixelwise attenuating the detail images or the coefficient arrays according to the locally estimated amount of relevant signal present and in accordance with an estimated noise level,c) reconstructing a processed image by accumulating detail obtained from the attenuated detail images or from the attenuated detail coefficients, and further adding the residual image.

Abstract: An integrally formed, longitudinally extending, generally planar electrical contact has an arcuate, contact engaging forward portion, a rear, tail end portion and an intermediate portion with an upwardly extending contact housing engaging member and at least one downwardly extending contact positioning member. The electrical contact is designed to fit into a housing to produce a genderless electrical connector.

Abstract: A wireless, dynamically reconfigurable link layered communications network and method are disclosed. A destination transceiver such as, a central transceiver, has a unique, permanent identification with a predetermined numerical link layer level n. A plurality of remote transceivers each having a unique, permanent identification and a variable, stored numerical link layer x where x>n and x and n are integers and x-n-1 represents the number of remote transceivers through which a communication must pass to reach the destination transceiver. The variable, stored numerical link layer level of each remote transceiver is dependent upon the dynamic condition of the network at the time of message transmission from or through the particular remote transceiver.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of reproducing medical images by a specific thermal sublimation printing process so that optimal image quality for diagnosic perceptibility is obtained through the use of a specific relation between digital signal values and corresponding density values in the hard copy.

Abstract: An integrated rotary drive apparatus for driving an element to be rotated in a controlled manner, comprises; a coupling shaft coupled to the element to be rotated, a drive shaft having a hollow portion within which the coupling shaft engages, a shaftless DC motor armature coupled to the coupling shaft for directly driving the coupling shaft, and a flywheel and rotary encoder disk coupled to the drive shaft to rotate therewith. The integrated rotary drive further includes a first enclosure section, for mounting to a non-rotating frame member for supporting the integrated rotary drive, and a second enclosure section mounted to the first enclosure section, for supporting a non-rotating optical encoder reader in proximity to the rotary encoder disk for providing a feedback signal, and for supporting a non-rotating DC motor stator in proximity to the DC motor armature for driving the DC motor armature when a DC current is applied to the stator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique of relieving back pain by heating of an intervertebral disc. The heating is illustrated by a percutaneous technique where a needle or electrode is inserted into the disc under X-ray or other imaging control and subsequently used to elevate the temperature of the disc. Above a certain temperature, the innervation related to the disc is destroyed to the point that back pain related to that innervation can also be eliminated. Specific examples of methods and apparatus to achieve such disc heating are given. Among the methods are use of radiofrequency heating and direct current heating, use of stimulation and impedance monitoring to improve target control, and the use of temperature monitoring to determine and quantify the appropriate disc temperature to achieve the desired clinical results.

Abstract: A method for growing diamond crystals or films by diffusing carbon through one side of a carbon diffusable substrate, such as metal or alloy, and outdiffusing the carbon on opposite side of the substrate is disclosed. The requirements for the metal or the alloy medium are: (1) low solubility of carbon in the medium so that all carbon will not be trapped in the medium; (2) no stable compound is formed between carbon and the medium in the operating temperature region; (3) a proximity to the lattice constant of diamond; and (4) an adequate diffusion rate at the operating temperature to grow the diamond efficiently.