Abstract: A system and a method of non-invasive continuous echocardiographic monitoring is provided with an ultrasound transducer and a bedside monitor. The beside monitor includes a monitor central processing unit (CPU). First, the ultrasound transducer is attached onto a specific skin portion of a patient. The specific skin portion is positioned adjacent to a patient's heart. Next, continuous echocardiographic data is sensed with the ultrasound transducer. After relaying the continuous echocardiographic data from the ultrasound transducer to the monitor CPU, the monitor CPU generates a real-time ultrasound image of the heart from the continuous echocardiographic data. Finally, the real-time ultrasound image is outputted with the bedside monitor. If the bedside monitor has a main screen, then the real-time ultrasound image is displayed through a picture-in-picture format with the main screen.

Abstract: Navigation systems and methods for magnetic interference correction involve antennae that generate magnetic fields at different frequencies, sensors that measure the magnetic fields, and a computing device that uses sensor measurements to determine the magnetic interference and produce accurate sensor position and orientation information.

Abstract: A controller (120) for simultaneously tracking multiple sensors in a medical intervention includes a circuit (121-181) that causes the controller (120) to execute a process. The process executed by the circuit (121-181) includes receiving first and second signals respectively from a first and a second passive ultrasound sensor (S2) used in the medical intervention. The first and second signals respectively include first and second sensor information indicative of respective locations of the first and the second passive ultrasound sensor (S2). The process executed by the circuit (121-181) also includes combining (120) the first signal and the second signal for transmission over only one channel, and providing the first signal and the second signal over the only one channel to a system (190) that determines the location of the first passive ultrasound sensor (S1) and the location of the second passive ultrasound sensor (S2) and that has only the one channel to receive the first signal and the second signal.

Abstract: A medical ultrasonic sensor array includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors having a plurality of first electrode plates, a plurality of piezoelectric elements, and a second electrode plate. Each of the ultrasonic sensors has a first electrode plate and a piezoelectric element sandwiched between the second electrode plate and the first electrode plate. Each first electrode plate of each ultrasonic sensor is separated from each other first electrode plate of each other ultrasonic sensor. The second electrode plate is a single body electrode plate shared by the plurality of the ultrasonic sensors. The second electrode plate includes a plurality of cavities, each cavity being formed in a surface of the second electrode plate at which the piezoelectric elements connect to the second electrode plate at a position between connection regions connecting a respective pair of the piezoelectric elements to the second electrode plate.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking an object (14) received within a body (16) using ultrasound wherein shifts in position of an ultrasound probe (20) tracking the object (either deliberate or accidental) can be corrected for. The method comprises tracking a position of the object through the body using an ultrasound transducer unit, and sensing movement of the ultrasound transducer unit using a physically coupled motion sensor (26). From the movement of the ultrasound transducer unit, movement of its field of view (24) can be determined. Based on a tracked history of positions (28) of the object through the field of view, and on the tracked movement of the field of view relative to the body, a direction of motion of the object through the body can be derived.

Abstract: Disclosed herein, in some embodiments, are medical device systems including an elongate medical device having a proximal end including one or more sensor connectors, a distal end including one or more sensors or emitters communicatively coupled to the one or more sensor connectors, and a drive connector including one or more sensor connector attachments configured to detachably couple to the one or more sensor connectors. The one or more sensor connector attachments can be configured to drive the one or more sensors or emitters of the elongate medical device.

Abstract: A medical device is provided that can be held and operated with a single hand to cause a catheter to be placed at a selected location in a patient's body. The user's other hand is free to perform other tasks, such as operating an ultrasound probe, for example. The medical device may also include a valve that can be operated with the same hand that holds the medical device to open a port to cause a fluid, such as a nerve block agent, for example, to be injected into the patient's body at the selected location.

Abstract: Improved intraluminal imaging devices and methods of manufacturing the devices are provided. In an embodiment, an intraluminal imaging device can include a flexible elongate member configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, an ultrasound scanner assembly coupled to and positioned distally of the distal portion of the flexible elongate member, the ultrasound scanner assembly comprising a plurality of electrical components disposed adjacent to a cavity of the ultrasound scanner assembly, and a coating extending over and directly contacting the distal portion of the flexible elongate member and a portion of the ultrasound scanner assembly to hermetically seal the cavity of the ultrasound scanner assembly. The coating provides a uniform barrier layer extending over a junction of two or more components having diverse cross-sectional profiles to prevent ingress of external fluids into the scanner assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a magnetic-based tracking system for tracking an ultrasound probe to create a three-dimensional visualization. The system includes a reference device including a reference magnet; an ultrasound probe including an ultrasound acoustic transducer or acoustic array that acquires ultrasound images and a magnetometer that detects a magnetic field generated by the reference magnet.

Abstract: A system and method for capturing ultrasound signals from a hemispheric imaging region (e.g., by a stationary array of transducer elements arranged in the shape of a faceted hemisphere) and estimating scattering measurements that would be made by a virtual array in the opposite hemisphere (e.g., by a network of processors that receive and process the transmitted ultrasound signals in parallel) by forming an initial estimate of a medium variation for each of a plurality of subvolumes in the scattering object to form an estimated object, calculating residual scattering by using a difference between a scattering response calculated for the estimated object and measured ultrasound signals received from the scattering object, forming an initial three-dimensional image of the scattering object, and extrapolating a difference between the scattering response calculated for the estimated object and the measured ultrasound signals received from the scattering object.

Abstract: A telescoping assembly such as an endobronchial ultrasound needle (EBUS) assembly includes a motor coupled to a biopsy needle within a telescoping housing to rotate (such as to oscillate) the needle during tissue harvest to improve harvesting.

Abstract: An optical tip-tracking system is disclosed including a light-emitting stylet, a light detector, and a console configured to operably connect to the light-emitting stylet and the light detector. The light-emitting stylet is configured to be disposed in a lumen of a catheter. The light-emitting stylet includes a light source in a distal-end portion of the light-emitting stylet configured to emit light. The light detector is configured to be placed over a patient. The light detector includes a plurality of photodetectors configured to detect the light emitted from the light source. The console is configured to instantiate an optical tip-tracking process for optically tracking the distal-end portion of the light-emitting stylet while the light-emitting stylet is disposed in a vasculature of the patient, the light source is emitting light, the light detector is disposed over the light-emitting stylet, and the photodetectors are detecting the light emitted from the light source.

Abstract: A mm-wave system includes transmission of a millimeter wave (mm-wave) signal by a plurality of transmitters to multiple objects, and receiving of return—mm-wave signals from the multiple objects by a plurality of receivers. A processor is configured to perform an algorithm to derive complex-valued samples and angle measurements from each receiver to identify one object from another object. The processor further extracts signal waveforms that correspond to each object and process the extracted signal waveforms to estimate breathing rate and heart rate of the identified object.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for volumetric ultrasound imaging is described. The device and system include an array of transducer elements grouped in triangular planar facets and substantially configured in the shape of a hemisphere to form a cup-shaped volumetric imaging region within the cavity of the hemisphere, A plurality of data-acquisition assemblies are connected to the transducers, which are configured to collect ultrasound signals received from the transducers and transmit image data to a network of processors that are configured to construct a volumetric image of an object within the imaging region based on the image data received from the data-acquisition assemblies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasound system. A first non-invasive ultrasound probe receives first ultrasound data having a first field of view and a second invasive ultrasound probe receives second ultrasound data having a second field of view which is different from the first field of view. A tracking unit determines tracking data including a position and orientation of the first non-invasive ultrasound probe relative to the second invasive ultrasound probe. A registration unit registers the second field of view into the first field of view based on the tracking data.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope includes an insertion part including a distal end part having an ultrasound transducer array, a cable inserted into the insertion part, and a substrate, including electrode pads connected to the ultrasound transducers, respectively, that electrically connects the ultrasound transducers and the cable, and is disposed in the distal end part. The cable has a non-coaxial cable including a first cable bundle consisting of signal wires and ground wires, a first shield layer coating the first cable bundle, and an outer coat coating a second cable bundle consisting of the non-coaxial cables. Each first cable bundle is individually led out from the cable, and each signal wire is electrically connected to the corresponding electrode pad. The ultrasound transducers are configured in drive units and driven simultaneously. A signal wire group includes at least two kinds of signal wires different in length from a distal end of the first cable bundle.

Abstract: A system for determining location of an interventional medical device within a patient includes a controller that controls an ultrasound probe to emit imaging beams at different times and angles relative to the ultrasound probe. The system also includes an interventional medical device with an attached sensor that receives the imaging beams together with repetitive noise. The controller further identifies the repetitive noise received at the sensor, including identifying the rate at which the repetitive noise is repeated and identifying the times at which the repetitive noise is received at the sensor. The controller further offsets the repetitive noise in signals received at the sensor by interpolating the signals based on the imaging beams. The controller determines the location of the interventional medical device based on the offset signals.

Abstract: A puncture adapter of an embodiment holds a puncture needle and is attached to an ultrasonic probe having an ultrasonic probe group. The puncture adapter has a puncture bracket that can be fixed to the ultrasonic probe and a puncture needle guide that is attached to the puncture bracket. The puncture bracket is not fixed to the ultrasonic probe when the puncture needle guide is not attached. The puncture bracket is fixed to the ultrasonic probe when the puncture needle guide is attached.

Abstract: A method for scanning, identifying, and navigating at least one anatomical object of a patient via an imaging system. Such system includes scanning the anatomical object via a probe of the imaging system, identifying the anatomical object via the probe, and navigating the anatomical object via the probe. Further, the method includes collecting data, inputting the collected data into a deep learning network configured to learn the scanning, identifying, and navigating steps. In addition, the method includes generating a probe visualization guide for an operator based on the deep learning network. Thus, the method also includes displaying the probe visualization guide to the operator wherein the probe visualization guide instructs the operator how to maneuver the probe so as to locate the anatomical object. In addition, the method also includes using haptic feedback in the probe to guide the operator to the anatomical object of the patient.

Abstract: Multi-mode capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (CMUT) and associated devices systems, and methods are provided. In an embodiment, an intravascular device includes a flexible elongate member having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a first sensor assembly disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The first sensor assembly comprising comprises a first array of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs). The first sensor assembly comprises at least two of a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, or an imaging sensor. In some embodiments, the intravascular device further includes a second sensor assembly comprising a second array of CMUTs.