Abstract: The control unit of an automatic blood pressure monitor has a central chimney-shaped heat sink which is open at the top and the bottom. Air rising through the chimney dissipates heat generated during operation of the device. Additionally, in the event that liquid is accidently spilled from e.g. a bag of saline solution, it is directed downwardly through the chimney via a funnel.

Abstract: An electronic labeling and display system for displaying a user defined label created once by the user at a display monitor location and displayed at the remote sensing location and a display monitor.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system is provided which produces gray scale images of the anatomy simultaneous with Doppler signal processing so as to provide a single real-time image that shows not only the vascular anatomy and surrounding tissue but also flow events in the vascular compartment. A phased linear array having near-continuous focus over the scanning field provides high resolution and very small Doppler sample volumes. The system tests incoming signals from throughout the scanning field for amplitude, phase and frequency so as to determine B-mode data, motion presence and direction, and echo source velocity.

Abstract: Collection of data that requires subsequent analysis can be accelerated by first storing the segments of data needed for analysis and later performing that analysis. In one embodiment a dynamic representation of a region is generated as a series of image data frames from frames stored in a memory in accordance with a data protection interval which is prospectively or retrospectively determined, with storage and data protection carried out without interruption of the continuing, dynamic representation of the region.

Abstract: In order to spatially localize NMR Spectroscopic signals that are acquired at minimum time post excitation, a saturation selective spectroscopic imaging technique combines the use of saturation regions to define a region of interest; and RF pulse to generate a free induction decay (FID) signal; and phase encoding steps to spatially localize the signal within the non-saturated region.

Abstract: A multi-head SPECT-capable scintillation camera has one head collimated by a parallel hole collimator and one or more focussing collimators. The focussing collimators are advantageously cone beam collimators or (for scintillation cameras which have rectangular detectors) astigmatic collimators. The scintillation camera is used to acquire information about a relatively small body organ of interest, such as the heart or the brain. From this information, the spatial location of the organ is determined. Then, during rotation of the camera heads about the patient during a SPECT study, the positions of the focussing collimators are controlled so as to maintain the organ of interest in a predetermined position with respect to their field(s) of view. Thereafter, the data acquired during the SPECT study is used to form a SPECT image of the organ of interest. The SPECT image may then be displayed or outputted.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system of the type including a 2D transducer array which has first and second types of transducer elements. Each element of the first type occupies an area of the array which is an integral fraction of the area occupied by each element of the second type. A connection arrangement comprising a plurality of multiplexer/summation circuits is provided for electrically connecting the array elements to the remainder of the ultrasound imaging system. Each multiplexer/summation circuit has a plurality of signal inputs individually connected to a respective plurality of the elements of the first type for selectively combining a given number of the elements of the first type together, the given number being an inverse of the integral fraction.

Abstract: A patient monitoring system utilizes a transmitter associated with each patient. The transmitter is worn by a patient and includes sensors operative to monitor vital signs of the patient. The transmitter transmits an allocated RF frequency which is particularly associated with that patient. A series of antennas are incorporated in a building, each antenna having its own signature signal. As the patient moves throughout the building, the antennas pick up the signals from the patient's transmitter and combines the antenna signature signal with the transmitted patient signal. This combined signal is then analyzed at a central location to determine the exact location of the patient due to the antenna signature signal which is modulated on the transmitted patient signal. Transmitted patient data is also decoded at the central station to provide a signal indicative of the vital signs of the patient.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for displaying a time history of a vectorcardiogram. The method enables a clinician to create a history of a three-dimensional vectorcardiogram from an arbitrary time axis and over an arbitrary time range. The apparatus allows the clinician to select a given viewpoint axis from a plurality of selectable viewpoint axes as well as the period of history to be displayed. The apparatus can also display multiple time histories simultaneously on the same display. This allows the display, side by side, of a traditional vectorcardiogram and the same vectorcardiogram as viewed from an arbitrary axis or time. This also enables the clinician to view a vectorcardiogram from various viewpoints simultaneously.

Abstract: Method for providing a blood flow velocity display of blood flow in a blood vessel in an ultrasound imaging system by converting spectral Doppler mode data using estimates of blood flow angle and blood flow velocity.

Abstract: The present invention is a remote sensing system for real time monitoring of patient position which can report variations in patient setup from day to day as well as motion during individual treatments. In particular, an embodiment of the present invention includes: (a) a source of radiation for applying radiation to a patient; (b) targets affixed to the patient for reflecting radiation impinging thereon; (c) two cameras and a computer for detecting the reflected radiation and for determining the current position of the targets in three-dimensional space; (d) a data store for storing the position of the targets; (e) the computer also serving to compare the current position of the targets with positions stored in the data store; and (f) a display for displaying indicators whenever differences between the current position and the stored position exceed tolerances stored in the data store.

Abstract: Method for providing a quantitative color flow display of moving matter using an ultrasound imaging system, the display being formed of pixels on a display device, which method includes the steps of: (a) transmitting acoustic beams to a region of interest in the body, which region of interest includes the moving matter; (b) receiving echo beams from the region of interest; (c) obtaining, at each portion of the region of interest, which portion is referred to as a pixel, a measure of velocity of moving matter in the pixel and a measure of direction of the velocity of the moving matter in the pixel; (d) determining a maximum of the measure of velocity at each pixel in the region of interest over a predetermined period of time and the measure of direction of the maximum velocity; and (e) displaying the measures of velocity of the pixels for the predetermined period of time wherein the measures of velocity and the measure of direction of the velocity are displayed using a color indicator which is relative to the

Abstract: The focus of a fan beam collimator is offset from the centerline.

Abstract: Two planar nuclear medicine images of a target organ are acquired using a focussing collimator at two different heights. An anatomic landmark associated with the target organ is computer-identified in each of the images, and the depth of the target organ is determined geometrically using the differences in size between the images of the identified landmark and the differences in height.

Abstract: An ultrasound pulsed Doppler system detects Doppler-shifted acoustic pulses reflected from moving material in a body and received by a transducer, and displays the velocity field of the material on a screen in a color flow format together with the black-and-white display of the ultrasound B-mode of the body. The system detects the average velocity of the material at a plurality of localized sample regions in the body by determining the complex correlation function for pairs of reflected signals from each sample region that are received by the transducer, where the complex phase of the correlation function is proportional to the velocity of the material, projected along the ray from the sample region to the transducer. The display constitutes an array of pixels, and the system determines a value at each pixel that represents the velocity for the material at the location imaged by the pixel.

Abstract: Anatomical landmarks relating to a target organ which is to be studied in a nuclear medicine study are automatically identified by a computer. The landmarks are superimposed upon a nuclear medicine persistence image of the target organ. This facilitates technician identification of the target organ and also facilitates repeatability of, e.g., myocardial perfusion studies, which require that two studies be performed on a single patient at two different times.

Abstract: Apparatus for adaptive phase aberration correction of wave distortions caused by tissue inhomogeneities in ultrasound images. In accordance with the present invention, auto-correlation apparatus in multiple, parallel, color flow processors compute a cross-correlation which is used to correct distortions in real time.

Abstract: The long axis of the left ventricle is automatically identified by identifying, and correlating, local minima and maxima in images of slices of the left ventricle. Initially, the left ventricle is identified within a representative transverse slice of the left ventricle. The centerline of this slice is automatically computed and used as a reorientation axis, along which another (sagittal) slice of the left ventricle is reconstructed. The centerline of this sagittal slice is automatically computed, and is the long axis of the left ventricle. The accuracy of this identification is confirmed by reconstructing oblique transverse slices of the left ventricle and verifying that their centers are coincident.