Abstract: A perfusion catheter includes at least one perfusion channel and at least two dilation units disposed at a distance from each other at the distal catheter region in the longitudinal extension of the catheter. Both of the at least two dilation units are projected through by the perfusion catheter and form, in an inflated state, an at least practically fluid-tight occlusion with the aortic wall. At least the dilation unit disposed on the proximal side has at least one passage through which an auxiliary catheter can be introduced in a fluid-tight manner. The perfusion catheter may have a working channel with an outlet opening in the region between the two dilation units and through which at least one auxiliary catheter can be introduced for aortic valve ablation.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance (NMR) method for fast, dynamic, spatially resolved measurement of the temporal changes in NMR signals by means of repeated data acquisition in individual measurements (Acq) with measuring sequences which are sensitive to a parameter to be observed, in an NMR apparatus with shim coils for correcting the magnetic field is characterized in that during data acquisition of each individual measurement (Acq) in acquisition steps (S1 . . . Sn) with a time lag, the magnetic field distribution in the NMR apparatus is measured, technically or physiologically based changes in the magnetic field distribution are determined therefrom in a calculation step (Scalc) as well as a change in the currents in the magnetic field required for compensation thereof, and the dynamic changes in the magnetic field distribution are compensated for by means of the correspondingly changed shim currents.

Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tomography method for investigating a target object, wherein radio frequency (RF) pulses are irradiated into a target volume and/or RF pulses from the target volume are detected, wherein the target volume is determined by the frequency of the RF pulses and/or through magnetic field gradients, and wherein the target object is moved relative to the NMR tomograph during NMR data acquisition, is characterized in that the frequency of the RF pulses and/or the magnetic field gradients is/are changed during NMR data acquisition such that the target volume covered by the RF pulses is moved relative to the NMR tomograph at the same speed and direction of motion as the target object during NMR data acquisition. This provides a method for investigating a target object which moves relative to the NMR tomograph during NMR data acquisition, which can be carried out in a fast and simple manner.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for assisting surgical operations inside a vessel, particularly for the minimally invasive explantation and implantation of cardiac valves, comprising an operating structure adapted to be implanted within the vessel, that is adapted to be fixedly and detachably joined to the inner wall of the vessel and is provided with at least one connector and/or support structure for a further instrument required for the surgical operation.

Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method for spatially resolved measurement of the distribution of signals of metabolites of different resonance frequencies by application of a sequence of radio-frequency pulses and switched magnetic fields, wherein the generated signals are generated by application of read gradients in a spatially encoded manner in the direction of these gradients, is characterized in that, after a time interval TR/2, the initially excited magnetization is subjected to a sequence of several radio frequency pulses, which are equally spaced by time intervals TR, and the used magnetic field gradients in each TR interval are applied such that the originally excited magnetization is repeatedly refocused in several TR intervals and thereby read out several times, several signals are generated within one TR interval by multiple inversion of the read gradient, and the signals which are read-out several times are each identically spatially encoded by application of phase encoding gradients and there

Abstract: A multi-slice NMR imaging method for recording N slices (N>1) from a measuring object, wherein for complete image reconstruction, an acquisition in m (m>1) repetition steps with different spatial encoding is used, with a magnetization preparation in the form of a saturation pulse which is selective with respect to chemical shift and which is applied P times (1?P<N) in each repetition step such that through each of these chemical shift selective saturation pulses the spins to be saturated of one of the N slices in the measuring object are optimally saturated and consequently the signals of N-P slices are saturated only sub-optimally, is characterized in that the temporal sequence of the saturation pulses and/or the sequence of the acquisition of the differently spatially encoded signals of the individual slices is permuted such that after termination of the acquisition, for each slice the signals with identical spatial encoding were recorded in the same fashion also with respect to saturation preparat

Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy or tomography method wherein a sequence of temporally mutually offset radio frequency (RF) pulses is applied onto a spin ensemble like a CPMG multi echo experiment, and wherein the magnetization produced after an initial excitation pulse is transferred to or close to the static pseudo steady state of the initially applied refocussing flip angle ?1 is characterized in that magnetization is transferred through gradual change of the refocussing flip angle in subsequent refocussing intervals to or close to the static pseudo steady state of the respectively used refocussing pulse with refocussing flip angle ?n such that the echo amplitude of the nth echo generated in this fashion approaches the maximum possible value corresponding to the respective refocussing pulse with refocussing flip angle ?n. The RF energy required for excitation of the nuclear spins can thereby be considerably reduced without having to accept signal intensity losses.

Abstract: A method of MRT according to the principle of signal generation in the driven equilibrium (DE) or also steady state free precession (SFP) wherein a periodic sequence of RF pulses with a flip angle &agr; is applied with a time delay TR wherein the phase of these pulses is alternated in subsequent steps, is characterized in that the periodic sequence of RF pulses is preceded by a sequence of (n+1) pulses for which the following conditions are valid: a first excitation pulse with preferred flip angle &agr;0=90° precedes the subsequently equidistant sequence of RF pulses at a preferred separation TR/2, the flip angle &agr;1 of the subsequent pulse is larger than &agr; and identical or approximately identical to 180°, the flip angle &agr;1 of the i-th pulse in the region i=2 . . . n is selected such that &agr;i≦&agr;i-1 and &agr;i≧&agr; and the phases of these pulses alternate.

Abstract: An anchoring element including a replacement heart valve for the purposes of intraluminal anchoring of the heart valve element to mammalian hearts, the anchoring element having a small enough initial volume prior to its placement that it can be brought to its point of use using a catheter through a blood vessel and can be expanded there to its functionally correct dimensions. The anchoring element is shaped differently from a cylindrical shape such that it is connected to the aorta at the point of use at least in areas in a form-locked manner. This facilitates an especially good seating of the anchoring element containing the replacement heart valve.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for assisting surgical operations inside a vessel, particularly for the minimally invasive explantation and implantation of cardiac valves, comprising an operating structure adapted to be implanted within the vessel, that is adapted to be fixedly and detachably joined to the inner wall of the vessel and is provided with at least one connector and/or support structure for a further instrument required for the surgical operation.

Abstract: This document describes a nucleotide sequence which encodes the PRV-1 protein, and essentially comprises the sequence ID No. 1, and also a process for detecting this gene and the polypeptide encoded by this gene.

Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance (NMR) for spatially resolved measurement of the distribution of NMR signals of metabolites (CSI) with low signal intensity, wherein on a spin ensemble, a sequence of radio frequency (RF) pulses is applied which are mutually offset by a time interval of a repetition time TR and magnetic gradient fields are switched of which at least one causes spatial encoding of the excited spins, is characterized in that the repetition time TR between the exciting RF pulses is selected to be at the most in the magnitude transverse relaxation time T2* of the spins to be excited, preferably approximately T2*/10 and that the magnetic gradient fields are selected such that their action integral is completely balanced over a repetition period of a time period TR such that NMR signal production is carried out according to the principle of steady state free precession (SSFP).

Abstract: A method for preparing a patient for a medically indicated procedure such as an operation, is presented with which steps necessary for the procedure are checked and the completion of those steps verified. The method proceeds by generating a list of tasks to be carried out and a list of preparatory items in association with those tasks. Data are entered in response to prompts for the list of preparatory items and a list of tasks and of preparatory items is updated appropriately in response to that data input. This feedback looping process continues until a closed matrix of accomplished items and tasks is presented to the system and the system indicates that the patient is ready of the indicated procedure. The invention has the advantage of increased efficiency by precluding the necessity for personnel not normally responsible for a given task or item, from having to carry that item out, when it was omitted in a previous processing stage.

Abstract: An imaging multi-slice NMR method for recording N slices (N>1) wherein for complete image reconstruction, recording in m individual steps (m>1) is carried out, wherein the recording of each step of each slice is carried out within a time period TA, is characterized in that the recording is carried out in r repetition cycles (r>m) and that during each of these repetition cycles, data from P slices (P<N) is acquired, wherein for recording the complete data set of m*N recording steps, the number of repetition cycles is r=m*N/P, wherein possible steps which remain due to non-dividability of m*N by P are attached or ignored, wherein spatial encoding can be different during each repetition step from slice to slice as long as after r repetitions for each slice all m spatial encoding steps are recorded, and wherein also the position of the P slices within the volume under investigation defined by the total number N of slices to be recorded can be different as long as the data for reconstructing N s

Abstract: An anchoring element including a replacement heart valve for the purposes of intraluminal anchoring of the heart valve element to mammalian hearts, the anchoring element having a small enough initial volume prior to its placement that it can be brought to its point of use using a catheter through a blood vessel and can be expanded there to its functionally correct dimensions. The anchoring element is shaped differently from a cylindrical shape such that it is connected to the aorta at the point of use at least in areas in a form-locked manner. This facilitates an especially good seating of the anchoring element containing the replacement heart valve.

Abstract: A method of NMR spectroscopy or tomography, wherein a sequence of temporarily offset radio frequency pulses is applied onto a spin ensemble, is characterized in that after a sequence of pulses with flip angles &agr;1 . . . &agr;n (with &agr;1 . . . &agr;n≧0°) and phases &phgr;1 . . . &phgr;n between which spins are dephased by &phgr;1 . . . &phgr;n, a central refocusing pulse is applied as (n+1)th pulse, followed by a pulse sequence which is mirror-symmetrical to the central refocusing pulse, wherein the flip angles &agr;n+2 . . . &agr;2n+1 and phases &phgr;n+2 . . . &phgr;2n+1 of the pulses have, in comparison with the mirror-symmetrical pulses with &agr;n . . . &agr;1 and &phgr;n . . . &phgr;1, negative sign with respect to amplitude and phase and the dephasings &phgr;n+2 . . . &phgr;2n+1 which are also mirror-symmetrical to the central refocusing pulse in the sequence are equal to the respective mirror-symmetrical dephasings &phgr;n . . .

Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance imaging (NMR) subjects a sample of magnetic spins, having differing Larmor frequencies and located in an external magnetic field, to a sequence of at least two radio frequency pulse sequences in time separation tm with respect to each other, wherein the difference in Larmor frequencies is due to the type of nuclei, to the inhomogeneities of the magnetic field utilized, or through action of an additional magnetic field gradient and wherein the first radio frequency pulse sequence effects excitation of, relative to the distribution of Larmor frequencies, periodic modulation of the z-magnetization having a modulation separation 2&Dgr;&ohgr; and the second radio frequency pulse sequence transfers this periodic modulating z-magnetization into transverse magnetization leading to signal production.