Abstract: A method of maintaining patient registration in surgical navigation includes: obtaining a patient position in a tracking system frame of reference, based on a fiducial marker array affixed in a first position relative to the patient; receiving an initial surface scan depicting the patient and the fiducial array; responsive to receiving an intraoperative image depicting the patient: obtaining a position, in the tracking system frame of reference, of the fiducial array affixed in a second position relative to the patient; receiving a secondary surface scan depicting the patient and the fiducial array; detecting a deviation in a position of the fiducial marker array relative to the patient between the initial and secondary surface scans; and applying the deviation to the position of the patient to generate an updated position of the patient in the tracking system frame of reference, based on the fiducial array affixed in the second position.

Abstract: A surgical camera system is provided which includes a plurality of imaging devices each having a tunable iris configured to change between at least two different sized numerical apertures. A video stream is produced at a frame rate greater than or equal to about 20 frames per second from first and second images produced by respective sensors and tunable irises of at least two of the imaging devices, the tunable irises controlled to different numerical apertures, the first images acquired at a respective first numerical aperture of a first imaging device and the second images acquired at a respective second numerical aperture of a second imaging device, different from the respective first numerical aperture. The video stream alternates between the first images and the second images so that the video stream results in a three-dimensional effect at a display device when the video stream is rendered thereon.

Abstract: Some implementations provide a system that includes: a main magnet including a bore and configured to generate a substantially uniform magnetic field in the bore; one or more gradient coils configured to perturb the substantially uniform magnetic field in the bore, wherein perturbing the substantially uniform magnetic field results in a first varying magnetic field outside of the bore; and one or more shielding units located outside of the bore and configured to generate a second varying magnetic field configured to attenuate the first varying magnetic field outside of the bore.

Abstract: A system for tracking a piece of medical equipment intraoperatively using a collinear array of fiducial markers positioned at known fixed distances relative to each other on the medical equipment and a camera capturing an image on a single image plane. Representations of the fiducial markers are segmented from a captured image, 3D orientation and position of the medical equipment are calculated using the segmented representations, and the orientation and position of the medical equipment are tracked relative to the camera. The orientation and position of the medical equipment may be registered within a 3D virtual space. The system may be used as part of a surgical navigation system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for rapidly ramping the magnetic field of a superconducting magnet, such as a superconducting magnet adapted for use in a magnetic resonance imaging system, are provided. The magnetic field can be rapidly ramped up or down by changing the current density in the superconducting magnet while monitoring and controlling the superconducting magnet's temperature to remain below a transition temperature. A superconducting switch is used to connect the superconducting magnet and a power supply in a connected circuit. The current generated by the power supply is then adjusted to increase or decrease the current density in the superconducting magnet to respectively ramp up or ramp down the magnetic field strength in a controlled manner. The ramp rate at which the magnetic field strength is changed is determined and optimized based on the operating parameters of the superconducting magnet and the current being generated by the power supply.

Abstract: Methods and systems for outputting depth data during a medical procedure on a patient. Depth data is outputted, representing at least one of relative depth data and general depth data. Tracking information about the position and orientation of a medical instrument and depth information about variations in depth over a site of interest are used. Relative depth data represents the depth information relative to the position and orientation of the instrument. General depth data represents the depth information over the site of interest independently of the position and orientation of the instrument.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for performing patient registration. 3D scan data from a 3D scanner, preoperative image data, first tracking data from a first tracking system, and second tracking data from a second tracking system are mapped to a common coordinate space. The 3D scan data and the first tracking data are mapped to each other using a transformation that is determined based on a calibration relating the 3D scan coordinate space and the tracking coordinate space. The 3D scan data and the preoperative image data are mapped to each other using a surface matching algorithm. The first tracking data and the second tracking data are mapped to each other based on tracking of the patient reference device.

Abstract: A surgical imaging system is described. The system includes first and second optical assemblies. Each optical assembly defines a respective optical axis, and each includes a respective set of one or more optics for adjusting field-of-view (FOV) and focus and a respective camera for capturing an image. The system includes a controller for controlling the optical assemblies and for switching the surgical imaging system between a coupled configuration and an uncoupled configuration. In the coupled configuration, the first optical assemblies are controlled to adjust the respective sets of optics and/or the respective optical axes in dependence on each other. In the uncoupled configuration, the optical assemblies are controlled to adjust the respective sets of optics, and the respective optical axes independently of each other.

Abstract: A medical navigation system is provided for controlling medical equipment during a medical procedure. The medical navigation system includes a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, an RFID sensor for detecting the passive RFID tag, a controller coupled to the RFID sensor, and a robotic arm having an end effector and controlled by the controller. The RFID sensor provides a signal to the controller indicating presence of an activated passive RFID tag. The passive RFID tag has an antenna, an RFID circuit, and a switching device coupled to the RFID circuit for activating the passive RFID tag. The passive RFID tag is used to control a payload attached to the end effector.

Abstract: An optical imaging system for imaging a target during a medical procedure is disclosed. The optical imaging system includes: a first camera for capturing a first image of the target; a second wide-field camera for capturing a second image of the target; at least one path folding mirror disposed in an optical path between the target and a lens of the second camera; and a processing unit for receiving the first image and the second image, the processor being configured to: apply an image transform to one of the first image and the second wide-field image; and combine the transformed image with the other one of the images to produce a stereoscopic image of the target.

Abstract: A wireless hands-free pointer system includes a wearable unit and a base station. The wearable unit includes a head-mountable portion and a neck-mountable portion. The head-mountable portion includes an inertial measurement unit to detect movements of the head of a wearer. The neck-mountable portion includes a power supply, a microcontroller, and a wireless transmitter module and is formed to allow wearing by draping it about a wearer's neck to rest on their shoulders. The head-mountable portion is electrically coupled to the neck-mountable portion to receive power from the power supply. The head-mountable portion is also communicatively coupled to the neck-mountable portion to transmit detected movements of the head of a wearer to the microcontroller for determining position data for transmission to the base station using the wireless transmitter module. The base includes a wireless receiver module to receiving position data and can communicate the position data to a processing unit.

Abstract: A method of rendering medical image data includes: obtaining an image, having a plurality of voxels, of a volume of patient tissue having a plurality of tissue types; for each of the plurality of voxels: determining a first type indicator value indicating a likelihood that the voxel depicts a first one of the tissue types; storing the first type indicator value in association with the voxel; setting a first type indicator threshold for the first tissue type; rendering the image on a display and applying a first visual filter to a first subset of the voxels having type indicator values that satisfy the first type indicator threshold; and updating the rendering, responsive to receiving input data specifying a modified first type indicator threshold, to apply the first visual filter to an updated first subset of the voxels having first type indicator values that satisfy the modified first type indicator threshold.

Abstract: A dynamic Raman signal acquisition apparatus, system, and method involving: an excitation light source operable at a designated irradiation power and for a designated acquisition time for each Raman data acquisition; a Raman probe operatively associated with said excitation light source to irradiate the biological tissue at said designated irradiation power and for said designated acquisition time, and capture an optical Raman response therefrom; a spectrometer operable to spectrally analyze said optical Raman response; and a controller in operative communication with said excitation light source and said spectrometer to automatically adjust at least one signal acquisition parameter.

Abstract: Described here are systems and methods for mitigating or otherwise removing the effects of short-term magnetic field instabilities caused by oscillations of the cold head in a cryogen-free magnet system used for magnetic resonance systems, such as magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) systems, nuclear magnetic resonance (“NMR”) systems, or the like.

Abstract: A method and system to generate an operating room layout plan for a surgical procedure involving a patient and a trajectory of access. A patient model is positioned in a virtual coordinate space representing the operating room, and is rendered, along with the trajectory of access relative to the patient, on a display. The trajectory of access defines a zone of operation in the virtual coordinate space. The planning system receives selection of a navigation camera location in the virtual coordinate space; renders a navigation camera model visually indicating an operative field of view; determines whether the navigation camera has a direct line-of-sight to the zone of operation and, if not, indicates an error; and outputs the operating room layout plan based on the location of the models in the virtual coordinate space.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for dynamic validation, correction of registration for surgical navigation during medical procedures on a patient which involves confirmation of registration between one or more previously registered virtual objects, such as surgical tools etc. in a common coordinate frame of a surgical navigation system and an operating room, and intra-operatively acquired imaging during the medical procedure in the common coordinate frame. The method includes displaying intra-operatively acquired imaging of the surgical field containing the one or more real objects corresponding to the one or more previously registered virtual objects, with the real objects being tracked by a tracking system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) of multiple different nuclear spin species using the same radio frequency (“RF”) coil are described. Generally, multiple different nuclear spin species are imaged using the same RF coil by using an MRI system whose magnetic field can be rapidly ramped between a number of different, and arbitrary, magnetic field strengths. The magnetic field of this MRI system can be ramped to different values in reasonable amounts of time (e.g., in a time frame that is feasible within an imaging study).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for storing and accessing medical records. The method includes anonymizing patient records, aggregating and analyzing the records, and storing the results of the analysis in a health informatics database. The system includes a database with patient records, a processor for anonymizing the patient records, a second database with anonymized patient records, an interface to access the second database, analyze the records and store the results, an output to display the results and a health informatics database to store the correlated record.

Abstract: Described are various embodiments of micro-optical surgical probes and micro-optical probe tips and methods of manufacture therefor. In some embodiments, multichannel micro-optical probe tip structures are directly manufactured upon respective optical channel waveguides, or again manufactured to integrally define respective optical coupling to these waveguides. In some embodiments, micro-optical probe tip structures are manufactured via a 3D laser printing process. Specific embodiments include, but are not limited to, spectroscopic or particularly Raman spectroscopy probes and their associated multichannel probe tip structures, and multichannel endoscopes.

Abstract: A fiducial marker to be tracked by a surgical navigation system. The fiducial marker is to be affixed to an object during a surgical procedure. The fiducial marker including a casing for attachment to the object; a light emitting component attached to the casing; a power source within the casing; a signal receiver to receive a signal from the surgical navigation system; and control logic to control the light emitting component in response to the signal from the surgical navigation system. The object to-be-tracked may include a plurality of the fiducial markers arranged in geometric pattern, and the markers may include a first active fiducial marker having a first light emitting component that emits light having a first spectral bandwidth, and a second active fiducial marker having a second light emitting component that emits light having a second spectral bandwidth different from the first spectral bandwidth.