Abstract: There are described a variety of intravascular filters have wherein at least a portion of the filter has been modified to provide an enhanced echogenic characteristic of the filter.

Abstract: A field programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit including a quadrature internal conditioning circuit is provided. The circuit having a buffer circuit; and a reconstruction engine circuit, wherein the reconstruction engine circuit includes: a circuit to measure a phase of a signal; and a flavor interpolation circuit; wherein: the circuit to measure the phase of a signal includes digitization points forming two complex numbers for each cycle of the center frequency of the signal. A system for collecting tissue images including a patient interface module (PIM); a pulse transmitter circuit; an analog to digital converter circuit; and an FPGA circuit as above; and a catheter having a sensing head is also provided. A method for using the above system to provide an image reconstruction is also provided.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to intravascular imaging system and particularly to processing in multimodal systems. The invention provides an imaging system that splits incoming image data into two signals and performs the same processing step on each of the split signals. The system can then send the two signals down two processing pathways. Methods include receiving an analog image signal, transmitting the received signal to a processing system, splitting the signal to produce a first image signal and a second image signal, and performing a processing operation on the first image signal and the second image signal. The first and second signal include substantially the same information as one another.

Abstract: Intravascular intervention catheters and catheters for performing an intravascular procedure that use a computer to control an operation at the end of the catheters are provided. The computer can process image data to determine where the important features are within a patient's vessels. The catheter can include imaging devices, steering devices, ablation mechanisms, or a combination thereof. By referencing the precisely-calculated location of the important features, the computer can provide signals that can be used by a control device (such as a set of servomotors for navigation) to operate the mechanisms at the catheter tip. Thus the catheter can be steered or an ablation mechanism can be operated or be prevented from operating depending on a detected location of the catheter.

Abstract: Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some instances, the intravascular device is a guide wire with an adhesive filled flexible element. For example, in some implementations a sensing guide wire includes a flexible elongate member; a flexible element extending distally from the flexible elongate member; a core member extending within a lumen of the flexible element; at least one flexible adhesive filling at least a portion of the lumen between the core member and the flexible element along a length of the flexible element; and a sensing element positioned distal of the flexible element. Methods of making, manufacturing, and/or assembling such intravascular devices and associated systems are also provided.

Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is directed to managing and storing patient data in a multi-modality medical processing system. The method and systems described herein store all medical data acquired from a patient in a single patient record that is assigned a unique identifier. For example, (i) information identifying a patient, (ii) data acquired during a first diagnostic procedure, and (iii) data acquired during a second, different diagnostic procedure may all be stored in association with the same unique identifier, so as to simplify patient case review and retrieval. As an aspect of this, identifying patient information such as patient name and date of birth need only be inputted into the disclosed system a single time, thereby reducing the chance of clerical error.

Abstract: A business model for facilitating the deployment of prescription validation systems into pharmacies is installed in pharmacies for little or no up-front cost to the pharmacy. Instead, the pharmacy is charged on a per use basis, that is, charged every time a prescription is validated in the system. In this way, the system vendor obtains payment on a subscription-like basis. Up-front costs at the pharmacy are avoided. Moreover, risks to a pharmacy concerning maintenance and slow productivity are avoided, or shifted onto the system owner, who is able to assess those risks.

Abstract: A method for imaging a volume within a patient volume is provided. The method includes generating a first signal and a second signal, directing the first signal and the second signal to a spot in the patient volume; receiving a first response signal and a second response signal from the spot in the patient volume; providing a first image from of the patient volume using the first response signal; providing a second image from the patient volume using the second response signal; and combining the first image and the second image to form a composite image. The method includes receiving multiple images at multiple frequency ranges; selecting a region of interest including the plurality of images; selecting multiple border lines separating the region of interest into multiple sub-regions; selecting data from an image in a sub-region; and forming an image in the region of interest.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for visually depicting a vessel and evaluating treatment options are disclosed.

Abstract: An intravascular ultrasound probe is disclosed, incorporating features for utilizing an advanced transducer technology on a rotating transducer shaft. In particular, the probe accommodates the transmission of the multitude of signals across the boundary between the rotary and stationary components of the probe required to support an advanced transducer technology. These advanced transducer technologies offer the potential for increased bandwidth, improved beam profiles, better signal to noise ratio, reduced manufacturing costs, advanced tissue characterization algorithms, and other desirable features. Furthermore, the inclusion of electronic components on the spinning side of the probe can be highly advantageous in terms of preserving maximum signal to noise ratio and signal fidelity, along with other performance benefits.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-modality data processing are provided. Some embodiments are particularly directed to interpreting gesture-based commands in a multi-modality processing system. In one embodiment, a method for interpreting user input in a medical processing system includes receiving a state designator corresponding to a mode of operation of the medical processing system, where the mode of operation includes a value representative of a modality selected from the group consisting of: IVUS, OCT, pressure, and flow. A list of active commands is generated based on the received state designator. A user input sequence is received from one or more user input devices. The medical processing system correlates the user input sequence to a command of the list of active commands, and the command is utilized to control operation of a component of the system. The list of active command may include a subset of commands common to multiple modalities.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to devices and methods for providing filtration of debris within a body lumen. More particularly, embodiments of the invention related to devices and methods for providing distal protection to a medical procedure by filtration of debris generated by the medical procedure using filters having a frame with a slidable crossover point.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating an ultrasound transducer. A substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side is provided. A bottom electrode is formed over the first side of the substrate. A piezoelectric element is formed over the bottom electrode. The piezoelectric element has a chamfered sidewall. A top electrode is formed over the piezoelectric element. A step metal element is formed over a portion of the top electrode proximate to the chamfered sidewall of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some instances, the intravascular device is a guide wire with distal tip element having a radiopaque marker pattern. For example, in some implementations a sensing guide wire includes a flexible elongate member; a sensing element coupled to the flexible elongate member; a flexible tip element coupled to and extending distally from the sensing element, the flexible tip element having a first radiopaque section, a second radiopaque section, and a non-radiopaque section positioned between the first and second radiopaque sections. Methods of making, manufacturing, and/or assembling such intravascular devices and associated systems are also provided.

Abstract: A delivery catheter having one or more securement devices can be used to control deployment of an implant from the delivery catheter. The securement device can be outwardly biased to automatically release the implant, or the securement device can be user actuated. The securement device allows the implant to be recaptured and repositioned during deployment if desired. The delivery catheter can be telescoping which allows the length and diameter of the implant to be controlled during deployment. A pullback system can be used to control deployment of the implant from the delivery catheter.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a blockage in a vessel and, in particular, a stenosis in a blood vessel. In some particular embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a stenosis in the coronary arteries utilizing external imaging.

Abstract: Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, side-loading electrical connectors for use with intravascular devices are provided. The side-loading electrical connector has at least one electrical contact configured to interface with an electrical connector of the intravascular device. A first connection piece of the side-loading electrical connector is movable relative to a second connection piece such that in an open position an elongated opening is formed between the first and second connection pieces to facilitate side-loading of the intravascular device into the connector and in the closed position the at least one electrical contact is electrically coupled to the at least one electrical connector of the intravascular device received between the first and second connection pieces and a communication cable extends from the connector in a direction coaxial with or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the intravascular device.

Abstract: A dependency-based startup method in a multi-modality medical processing system that includes receiving initialization information about a plurality of executable components to be started, the plurality of executable components including an executable modality component configured to communicate with a medical device communicatively coupled to the multi-modality medical processing system. The method also includes receiving dependency information about the executable modality component, the dependency information identifying one or more of the executable components upon which the executable modality component depends and transforming the initialization information and the dependency information into a dependency map that represents the dependencies between the plurality of executable components.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods, systems, and apparatuses for determining the degree of improvement after a therapeutic procedure. The method can involve determining a baseline measurement prior to conducting a therapeutic procedure, conducting the therapeutic procedure, and determining a post-therapy measurement after conducting the therapeutic procedure. The method further involves comparing the post-therapy measurement to the baseline measurement, thereby determining the degree of improvement after conducting the therapeutic procedure.

Abstract: The invention provides a computer server with a graphical processor that can process data from multiple medical imaging systems simultaneously. Data sets can be provided by any suitable imaging system (x-ray, angiography, PET scans, MRI, IVUS, OCT, cath labs, etc.) and a processing system of the invention allocates resources in the form of a virtual machine, processing power, operating system, applications, etc., as-needed. Embodiments of the invention may find particular application with cath labs due to the particular processing requirements of typical cath lab systems.