Abstract: A method to visualize, display, analyze and quantify angiography, perfusion, and the change in angiography and perfusion in real time, is provided. This method captures image data sequences from indocyanine green near infra-red fluorescence imaging used in a variety of surgical procedure applications, where angiography and perfusion are critical for intraoperative decisions.

Abstract: A stent configured for implantation in a body lumen, includes: a tubular structure having a first end, a second end, and a tubular body, the tubular body comprising a plurality of elongate portions, the first end of the tubular structure having a plurality of crown elements; and a plurality of tabs coupled to the first end of the tubular structure; wherein the elongate portions comprise a first zigzag portion forming a first ring element, the first ring element having a first ring end, and a second ring end opposite from the first ring end, wherein the first ring end of the first ring element has a first set of peaks, and wherein the second ring end of the first ring element has a second set of peaks; and wherein the peaks in the first set are flat or are rectilinear.

Abstract: A stent configured for implantation in a body lumen, includes: a tubular structure having a first end, a second end opposite from the first end, and a tubular body extending between the first end and the second end, the tubular body comprising a plurality of elongate portions defining a porosity for the stent, at least one of the elongate portions having a zig-zag configuration, the first end of the tubular structure having a plurality of crown elements disposed circumferentially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tubular structure, the crown elements forming a crown configuration for the first end of the tubular body; and a plurality of tabs coupled to the first end of the tubular structure; wherein a number of the crown elements is higher than a number of the tabs; wherein the tabs are coupled to only a subset, and not all, of the crown elements.

Abstract: An image sensor assembly includes at least one upconverter configured to detect light in a NIR waveband that is received from an object to be imaged and generate, based on the detected light, upconverted light that is outside of the NIR waveband; and at least one image sensor configured to detect the upconverted light.

Abstract: Vessel perfusion and myocardial blush are determined by analyzing fluorescence signals obtained in a static region-of-interest (ROI) in a collection of fluorescence images of myocardial tissue. The blush value is determined from the total intensity of the intensity values of image elements located within the smallest contiguous range of image intensity values containing a predefined fraction of a total measured image intensity of all image elements within the ROI. Vessel (arterial) peak intensity is determined from image elements located within the ROI that have the smallest contiguous range of highest measured image intensity values and contain a predefined fraction of a total measured image intensity of all image elements within the ROI. Cardiac function can be established by comparing the time differential between the time of peak intensity in a blood vessel and that in a region of neighboring myocardial tissue both pre and post procedure.

Abstract: Methods and systems for alignment of a subject for medical imaging are disclosed, and involve providing a reference image of an anatomical region of the subject, the anatomical region comprising a target tissue, processing the reference image to generate an alignment reference image, displaying the alignment reference image concurrently with real-time video of the anatomical region, and aligning the real-time video with the alignment reference image to overlay the real-time video with the alignment reference image. Following such alignment, the subject may be imaged using, for example, fluorescence imaging, wherein the fluorescence imaging may be performed by an image acquisition assembly aligned in accordance with the alignment.

Abstract: A device for collecting bone fragments includes a housing (512) and a filter element (522) disposed in the housing. The filter element has a first end (524), a second end (526), and a sidewall (528) that defines an inner peripheral (530) and outer peripheral (532) surface and includes a plurality of filter apertures (534). The inner peripheral surface at least partially defines a collection chamber (536) for collection of a composition comprising bone fragments. The outer peripheral surface of the sidewall and the housing are spaced apart from one another to define an exterior radial volume (540). The filter element also has a proximal portion (535) adjacent the second end (526) which defines at least one drain aperture (555). The composition is acquired and collected in the collection chamber with the exterior radial volume providing a primary fluid communication path with a vacuum source and the at least one drain aperture providing a supplementary fluid communication path with the vacuum source.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for use in surgical navigation, the method being performed by a computing system. A first pose of a first tracker is determined in exactly four degrees of freedom, DOF, and a second pose of a second tracker is determined in exactly four DOF. Based on the first pose and the second pose, a third pose of a virtual tracker may be determined in six DOF. The virtual tracker has a fixed spatial relationship relative to the anatomical object in the six DOF of the third pose. A transformation between the third pose and a fourth pose of the anatomical object in six DOF in an image coordinate system of image data of the anatomical object may be determined or obtained. The present disclosure further relates to a computing system, a surgical navigation system and a computer program product.

Abstract: An implant for restoring height of a vertebral body. The implant includes upper and lower plates configured to be moved away from one another in the craniocaudal direction for the implant to be deployed. Supports are coupled to the upper plate and a distal end portion, and arranged in a crisscross configuration in the proximal-to-distal direction in each of an insertion configuration and a deployed configuration. The crisscross configuration facilitates increased expansion of the implant. The supports may be laterally spaced from one another to define a void space for receiving retaining element, and inner and outer arcuate surfaces may provide a generally cylindrical profile to the implant. One of the supports may be a support fork arranged in a V-shaped configuration. A length of the supports may be approximately 50-90% of a length of the upper and lower plates. The implant may be formed through additive manufacturing.

Abstract: A technique of providing user guidance for surgical navigation is provided. A method implementation of the technique includes obtaining a predetermined spatial relationship between an optical tracking pattern and a through-hole extending through an implant, obtaining image data of the optical tracking pattern acquired by an imaging unit attached to a surgical instrument, obtaining a spatial relationship between the surgical instrument and the imaging unit at a point in time when the image data have been acquired, determining a spatial relationship between the surgical instrument and the through-hole, obtaining a plurality of predefined spatial relationships between the surgical instrument and the through-hole, and triggering simultaneous display of an indication of the plurality of predefined spatial relationships and an indication of the spatial relationship between the surgical instrument and the through-hole.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for imaging.

Abstract: A medical device includes: an elongated tube having a wall defining a lumen for the elongated tube, wherein the wall of the elongated tube comprises a first opening; and a first actuating element coupled directly or indirectly to the wall of the elongated tube; wherein at least a part of the first actuating element and the first opening of the wall are located at a same longitudinal position with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated tube; and wherein the first actuating element is configured to change size to induce stress and/or displacement at the wall of the elongated tube to cause the elongated tube to bend.

Abstract: A technique of generating surgical information from intra-operatively acquired image data of vertebrae and pre-operatively acquired image data of the vertebrae is presented. A method implementation includes obtaining first image segments each containing a different vertebra, and second image segments each containing a different vertebra. The first image segments have been derived by processing the pre-operatively acquired image data, and the second image segments have been derived by processing the inter-operatively acquired image data. The method includes identifying one of the second image segments and one of the first image segments that contain the same vertebra, and determining a transformation that registers the identified first image segment and the identified second image segment. The method includes generating surgical information based on the transformation and the identified first image segment.

Abstract: A tracker system for determining poses of at least two vertebrae and a computer-implemented method of using the tracker system are presented. The tracker system comprises a first and second trackers, trackable in 5 degrees of freedom (DOF), and attachable to a first and second vertebra, respectively. A tracking coordinate system is registered in 6 DOF with an image coordinate system associated with first image data taken by a medical imaging system and indicative of the first and second vertebra. The method includes receiving intraoperative tracking data and determining, from the received intraoperative tracking data, tracker poses of the first tracker and the second tracker in 5 DOF. Further still, the method comprises determining, from the tracker poses and based on the registration of the tracking coordinate system with the image coordinate system, poses of the first vertebra and the second vertebra in 5 DOF.

Abstract: A tracker 30 for a Head-Mounted Display, HMD, unit is provided. The tracker 30 comprises a carrier element 10 carrying one or more markers 16a, 16b that are configured to permit determining a position of the tracker 30. The carrier element 10 comprises at least one magnetic element 32 configured to cooperate with at least one magnetic element 22 provided on the HMD unit 62, or on a base element 20 that is to be fixed to the HMD unit 62, for detachably attaching the carrier element 10 to the HMD unit 62.

Abstract: A surgical cutting tool includes an outer tube extending longitudinally between proximal and distal ends. The outer tube includes an inner surface defining a lumen therethrough. The surgical cutting tool further includes a flexible driveshaft including an inner tube rotatably disposed in the lumen and extending in a longitudinal direction. The driveshaft may include at least two torsion sections spaced from one another longitudinally along the inner tube. The torsion sections each have at least one channel extending through the inner tube. The driveshaft further includes a bearing section disposed longitudinally between the torsion sections. The channels are configured to collapse under rotational load in response to transmission of torque as the driveshaft rotates such that the torsion sections are spaced apart from the inner surface of the outer tube to a greater extent than the bearing section for reducing friction between the inner tube and the outer tube.

Abstract: A vaso-occlusive device, includes: a vaso-occlusive structure configured for implantation in an aneurysm sac, the vaso-occlusive structure having a delivery configuration when restrained within a delivery catheter and having a deployed configuration when released from the delivery catheter into the aneurysmal sac, at least a portion of the vaso-occlusive structure being composed of a AuPtW (gold-platinum-tungsten) alloy; wherein the AuPtW alloy comprises platinum within a range between 25% and 40% by weight, and wherein the AuPtW alloy comprises tungsten within a range between 0.01% and 10% by weight.

Abstract: A method of providing user guidance. First patient image data of a patient's body is obtained. A registration instruction indicative of where to acquire a registration point relative to a surface of the body is determined. Second patient image data of the body, having been acquired by an augmented reality device, is obtained. A transformation between coordinate systems of the first and the second patient image data is determined. Based on the transformation, display of the registration instruction on a display of the AR device is triggered such that a user of the AR device is presented an augmented view with the registration instruction being overlaid onto the patient's body. The augmented view guides the user where to acquire the registration point. Also disclosed are a computing system, a surgical navigation system, and a computer program product.