Abstract: The disclosure relates to techniques for diffusion imaging of an examination region of a patient using a magnetic resonance facility. The technique may include specifying a number, which is at least two, of diffusion gradient pulse sequences for recording diffusion data sets using the magnetic resonance facility such that the diffusion gradient pulse sequences have a b-matrix that describes a planar diffusion encoding. The matrix may have precisely two intrinsic values that differ from zero. The technique may further include recording the diffusion data sets with the specified diffusion gradient sequences, and acquiring a trace-weighted image data set by geometric averaging of the at least two diffusion data sets. The diffusion gradient pulse sequences are determined such that the sum of all the b-matrices results in the unit matrix multiplied by a factor that characterizes the diffusion weighting (e.g. a predetermined b-value) and the number divided by three.

Abstract: A cell visualization system includes a digital holographic microscopy (DHM) device, a training device, and a virtual staining device. The DHM device produces DHM images of cells and the virtual staining device colorizes the DHM images based on an algorithm generated by the training device using generative adversarial networks and unpaired training data. A computer-implemented method for producing a virtually stained DHM image includes acquiring an image conversion algorithm which was trained using the generative adversarial networks, receiving a DHM image with depictions of one or more cells and virtually staining the DHM image by processing the DHM image using the image conversion algorithm. The virtually stained DHM image includes digital colorization of the one or more cells to imitate the appearance of a corresponding actually stained cell.

Abstract: A system for holding and controlling medical instruments during procedures includes an end effector configured to hold a medical instrument and a rotational and translational (RT) mechanism configured to rotate and translate the medical instrument along an insertion axis. The system further includes a platform coupled to the RT mechanism and a pair of parallel five-bar planar linkages configured to translate, pitch, and yaw the platform with respect to a principal axis that is parallel to the insertion axis.

Abstract: A method is for the automated evaluation of at least one image data record of a patient recorded with a medical image recording device for the preparation of diagnostic findings. In the method, at least one item of input data describing the patient and/or the recording process and/or the examination target is determined after completion of the recording of the image data record. A selection algorithm which evaluates the image data record and the input data is used for determining at least one automated evaluation process to be applied and applicable and at least one image quality measure with regard to the evaluation process is determined by evaluating the image data record. The selected automated evaluation process is only performed for an image quality measure meeting a threshold quality requirement.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for providing a dynamic mask image, including receiving projection images that image an examination region containing at least one vessel from at least two different projection directions, receiving a static mask image, initializing the dynamic mask image, determining exclusive rays that extend in each case parallel to one of the projection directions and correspond to a respective image value in the associated projection image, wherein at least one of the exclusive rays in each case extends through precisely one of the unmasked image areas of the static mask image, identifying and masking contrasted and uncontrasted vessels in the static mask image, annotating the contrasted and uncontrasted vessels in the dynamic mask image, determining and masking an imaging of the contrasted vessels in the projection images, repeating certain steps until an abort condition occurs, and providing the dynamic mask image.

Abstract: A method of generating a first image from a medical text report comprises acquiring a medical text report comprising one or more natural language statements; analysing the medical text report, using a computer-implemented analysis process, to determine for each natural language statement whether the statement satisfies a predetermined criterion with respect to a first medical finding; and responsive to a determination that a said statement satisfies the predetermined criterion, adding an image representing the first medical finding to an image template, to generate the first image. Also disclosed is an apparatus and computer program.

Abstract: In a method for determining a normalized MR relaxation parameter for an object using an imaging sequence where the MR signal of the object under examination is detected at a first echo time and at a second echo time, a first MR signal for the object under examination obtained at the first echo time is determined, a second MR signal for the object under examination obtained at the second echo time is determined, a first reference MR signal obtained at the first echo time from a reference tissue having a known value for the MR relaxation parameter is determined, a second reference MR signal obtained at the second echo time from the reference tissue is determined, and the normalized MR relaxation parameter is calculated based on the first MR signal, the second MR signal, the first echo time, the second echo time, and the first and second reference MR signal.

Abstract: At least one example embodiment provides a magnetic resonance imaging system comprising a field generation unit and a supporting structure for providing structural support for the field generation unit, wherein the field generation unit comprises at least one magnet for generating a B0 magnetic field and an opening configured to provide access to an imaging volume positioned in the B0 magnetic field along at least one direction and wherein the at least one direction is angled with respect to a main direction of magnetic field lines of the B0 magnetic field in the imaging volume.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a specimen in a specimen container includes capturing one or more images of the specimen container, wherein the one or more images include one or more objects of the specimen container, and wherein the capturing generates pixel data from a plurality of pixels. The method further includes identifying one or more selected objects from the one or more objects, displaying an image of the specimen container, and displaying, on the image of the specimen container, one or more locations of pixels used to identify the one or more selected objects. Other apparatus and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a method of automatically aligning an indexing machine with a robotic end effector including: inserting, using a robotic arm, a hunting tool into an aperture, the hunting tool comprising a pressure sensitive tip; detecting, using a plurality of sensing beams, a first location of the hunting tool within the aperture; rotating, using the robotic arm, the hunting tool 180 degrees; detecting, using the plurality of sensing beams, a second location of the hunting tool within the aperture; calculating a runout magnitude and a runout direction based on the first location, the second location, and the robotic arm; inserting, using the robotic arm, the hunting tool into a target; determining, using the pressure sensitive tip, a location of the hunting tool with respect to the target; and thereafter, adjusting the location of the hunting tool with respect to the aperture and target based on said determined location and said calculated runout magnitude and direction.

Abstract: A telescoping magnetic resonance coil for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus has a first coil half in a first coil housing, having a first coil support and a number of first coil units on the first coil support. The telescoping coil also has a second coil half in a second coil housing, having a second coil support and a number of second coil units on the second coil support. One end of the first coil housing is opposite to and slidable relative to one end of the second coil housing, and one end of the first coil support is opposite to and slidable relative to one end of the second coil support. The first coil units at the one end of the first coil support have connections to which sliding contacts of the second coil units at the one end of the second coil support are electrically connectable. The connections are slidable on the sliding contacts, and each of the sliding contacts is provided with a frequency compensation element that maintains a magnetic resonance frequency of the coil at a constant value.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to techniques for scan preparation in a medical imaging system. The technique includes triggering a 3D camera acquiring a 2D color and depth image of a patient when a patient bed is at an origin position, inputting the image into a pre-trained first body information model to obtain position information of multiple body feature site points, and calculating position information of multiple candidate scanning regions in the patient bed coordinate system. The technique further includes providing the position information of the multiple candidate scanning regions to a medical imaging application apparatus, so that the medical imaging application apparatus determines position information of a current scanning region in the patient bed coordinate system and controls the patient bed to move the current scanning region to a scanning center of a medical imaging device according to the position of the patient bed relative to the scanning center.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a specimen as containing hemolysis, icterus, or lipemia is provided. The method includes capturing one or more images of the specimen, wherein the one or more images include a serum or plasma portion of the specimen. Pixel data is generated by capturing the image. The pixel data of the one or more images of the specimen is processed using a first network executing on a computer to predict a classification of the serum or plasma portion, wherein the classification comprises hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia. The predicted classification is verified using one or more verification networks. Quality check modules and specimen testing apparatus adapted to carry out the method are described, as are other aspects.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is for creation of a control signal with regard to controlling a movement of a medical object, the creation of the control signal being dependent on a current movement state of an examination object. In an embodiment, the method includes receiving, via a processor, a movement model of at least one part of the examination object, the movement model including at least one target movement state; detecting, via a sensor, a current movement state of the examination object; comparing, via the processor, whether the current movement state at least approximately corresponds to the at least one target movement state; determining, via the processor, the control signal as a function of the movement model and of the current movement state, depending on a result of the comparing; and provisioning the control signal.

Abstract: Methods of autonomous diagnostic verification and detection of defects in the optical components of a vision-based inspection system are provided. The method includes illuminating a light panel with a first light intensity pattern, capturing a first image of the first light intensity pattern with a sensor, illuminating the light panel with a second light intensity pattern different than the first light intensity pattern, capturing a second image of the second light intensity pattern with the sensor, comparing the first image and the second image to generate a comparison of images, and identifying defects in the light panel or the sensor based upon the comparison of images. Systems adapted to carry out the methods are provided as are other aspects.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for a scan recommendation method is disclosed, wherein evaluation data comprising classification data are received, the classification data classifying anomalies detected in input data concerning the medical condition of a patient. Based on the evaluation data, an automatic determination of a next recommended MR protocol to be executed in accordance with an MR scan of the patient is performed. Further, a personal scan preparation method is disclosed and a medical imaging method is described, as well as a scan workflow performing method. For execution of the above-mentioned methods, a scan recommendation system, a personal scan preparation system, a medical imaging system, and a scan workflow performing system are also described.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a serum or plasma portion of a specimen in a specimen container provides an HILN (hemolysis, icterus, lipemia, normal) determination. Pixel data of an input image of the specimen container is processed by a classification network to identify whether the specimen contains plasma or serum. Specimen Pixel data representing a plasma sample are forwarded to a segmentation/classification/regression network trained with plasma samples for HILN determination. Pixel data representing a serum sample are forwarded to a transformation network, wherein the serum sample pixel data is transformed into pixel data that matches pixel data of a corresponding previously-collected plasma sample by changing sample color, contrast, intensity, and/or brightness. The transformed serum sample pixel data are forwarded to the segmentation/classification/regression network for HILN determination.

Abstract: A deep machine-learning approach is used for medical image fusion by a medical imaging system. This one approach may be used for different applications. For a given application, the same deep learning is used but with different application-specific training data. The resulting deep-learnt classifier provides a reduced feature vector in response to input of intensities of one image and displacement vectors for patches of the one image relative to another image. The output feature vector is used to determine the deformation for medical image fusion.

Abstract: A method for noise reduction in a three-dimensional computed tomography dataset, which is reconstructed from two-dimensional projection images recorded with an x-ray device using different recording geometries, is provided. In a post-processing section following the reconstruction of the computed tomography dataset, to obtain a first intermediate dataset, a first, edge-preserving filter is applied to the reconstructed computed tomography dataset. To obtain a second intermediate dataset, a second, morphological filter is applied to the reconstructed computed tomography dataset. A first weighting dataset weighting edges more strongly is established from a subtraction dataset of the first intermediate dataset and the second intermediate dataset. A noise-reduced result dataset is established as a weighted sum of the first intermediate dataset and the second intermediate dataset.