Abstract: A clutter reduction effect using adaptive beam forming is uniformly obtained with respect to the entire image even in an imaging condition in which the number of bundled signals is greatly distributed in an ultrasonic image. A received signal processing unit includes a summing unit that bundles the plurality of received signals for a predetermined imaging point or a plurality of signals obtained by processing the received signals, and a weighting unit that obtains a coherence value among the plurality of signals summed in the summing unit, and weights the plurality of signals before being summed in the summing unit or a signal obtained through summing in the summing unit, with a weight corresponding to the coherence value. The weighting unit weights the coherence value nonlinearly in a predetermined direction in the subject, and weights the plurality of signals before being summed in the summing unit or the signal obtained through summing in the summing unit by using the nonlinearly weighted coherence value.

Abstract: An intravascular ultrasound imaging system comprises a catheter having an elongated body having a distal end and an imaging core arranged to be inserted into the elongated body. The imaging core is arranged to transmit ultrasonic energy pulses and to receive reflected ultrasonic energy pulses. The system further includes an imaging engine coupled to the imaging core and arranged to provide the imaging core with energy pulses to cause the imaging core to transmit the ultrasonic energy pulses. The energy pulses are arranged in repeated sequences and the energy pulses of each sequence have varying characteristics. The reflected pulses may be processed to provide a composite image of images resulting from each different characteristic.

Abstract: A non-invasive imaging system, including an imaging scanner suitable to generate an imaging signal from a tissue region of a subject under observation, the tissue region having at least one substructure; a signal processing system in communication with the imaging scanner to receive the imaging signal from the imaging scanner; and a data storage unit in communication with the signal processing system, wherein the data storage unit stores an anatomical atlas comprising data encoding spatial information of the at least one substructure in the tissue region, and a pathological atlas corresponding to an abnormality of the tissue region, wherein the signal processing system is adapted to automatically identify, using the imaging signal, the anatomical atlas, and the pathological atlas, a presence of the abnormality or a pre-cursor abnormality in the subject under observation.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe, transmission unit transmitting a first ultrasonic wave for generating a shear wave in an object to a first region and a second ultrasonic wave to a second region, reception unit generating a reception signal based on the second ultrasonic wave, displacement amount calculation unit calculating a displacement amount of a tissue accompanying propagation of the shear wave to the second region by using the reception signal, arrival time decision unit deciding an arrival time when the shear wave has arrived at each position in the second region, based on a temporal change in the displacement amount concerning the each position, and image generation unit generating based on the arrival time and predetermined pixel values corresponding to the arrival times, a shear wave arrival time image with the pixel values being assigned corresponding to the arrival times.

Abstract: The Vertebra Pick Device represents a new instrument to bore pilot holes in vertebra pedicles while imaging the operation with an integrated endoscope. The pilot holes are bored to provide entry points for pedicle screws that serve as anchor points for spine stabilizing rods to treat several spine conditions. The device consists of a metal body that terminates in a tapered incision tip, an endoscope that runs inside said metal body, a handle to drive the device into pedicle boney tissue and a fiber optics bundle assembly that enters the device handle and is used to connect to imaging, illumination, irrigation and suction devices to enable the endoscopic functions of the device. The fiber optics bundle assembly connects to an imaging camera that provides an electrical signal to a monitor to view the operation in real time.

Abstract: The disclosure provides technology for analyzing video data of a fluorescent contrast agent shot by a microscope during an operation, and provides a method and system allowing information such as BV, BF and MTT, and vascular wall thickness, to be estimated by fluorescent contrast agent analysis, by applying perfusion analysis methods. The method for processing intravascular hemodynamics images is characterized by shooting video using infrared light, wherein the object of shooting is a portion of a blood vessel injected with a fluorescent contrast agent; performing image analysis of a shape of a chronological change curve of intensity values which are image outputs from the video shooting; and calculating relative data for blood volume and blood flow based on results of the image analysis.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a processing assembly, a plurality of field generators, and a patient tracking assembly. The patient tracking assembly includes a sensor assembly and a communication assembly. The sensor assembly includes a first body, a first sensor, and an electrical conduit. The first body selectively attaches to a patient. The first sensor is mounted to the first body and generates a signal in response to movement within an electromagnetic field. The communication assembly includes a second body and a cable. The second body rotates relative to the first body from a first rotational position to a second rotational position. The cable extends away from the second body. The cable communicates with the processing assembly. The electrical conduit couples the first sensor with the cable while the casing is in the first rotational position and the second rotational position.

Abstract: An endobronchial probe includes a deflector having a bore extending therethrough at an angle to its long axis for passage of a tool. The probe includes a location sensor and an ultrasound imager. A push-pull anchoring system comprises a plurality of guides and wires that can extend beyond the guides and retract within the guides. When extended the wires diverge from the long axis sufficiently to engage a bronchus. The probe includes a balloon disposed on the distal segment contralateral to bore that when inflated urges the mouth of the bore into contact with the bronchial wall.

Abstract: Systems and methods for user control over the acquisition, processing, and presentation of medical data are provided. Some embodiments are particularly directed to controlling the display of multi-modality medical data in a multi-modality processing system. In one embodiment, a medical imaging system receives a set of medical data including a first data subset collected using a first sensor and a second data subset collected using a second sensor, where the first sensor and the second sensor are different. A display attribute to be applied to the first data subset independent of the second data subset is received. An instruction is generated that affects the processing of the first data subset based on the display attribute. The first data subset is processed according to the instruction. The processed first data subset is displayed according to the display attribute, and the second data subset is displayed independent of the display attribute.

Abstract: A system includes a treatment probe, a first tracking sensor configured to track a location of the treatment probe, an ultrasound imager, a second tracking sensor configured to track a location of the ultrasound imager, and a tracking system. The ultrasound imager generates real-time ultrasound images. The tracking system receives location information from the first and second tracking sensors, tracks the location of the treatment probe and the location of the ultrasound imager, and displays the real-time ultrasound images and a representation of the treatment probe in one or more pre-stored images.

Abstract: Devices and systems can be configured to guide an instrument to a target region. The guide system may include an imaging guide including a first segment, the first segment including a guide region and imaging coils surrounding the guide region; and a platform. The platform may include a first rail, a second rail disposed parallel to the first rail, and a positioning member disposed between the first rail and the second rail. The positioning member may include a positioning frame having an entry region. The positioning frame may be movably disposed with respect to the first and second rails in a first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. The platform may be disposed with respect to the imaging guide so that a position of the entry region is within the guide region.

Abstract: A method and system for assessing disc derangement disorders (DDD) in patients comprises an image scanning module, a DDD screening system and a diagnosis and assessment module. The DDD screening system is in communication with the image scanning module via a network. The DDD screening system includes an application server residing on a computer having a processor installed with a disc derangement disorders (DDD) screening application and coupled with a memory unit integrated with a central database. The DDD screening application provides a set of statistical probability data of the at least one image utilizing a normalized measurement of at least one image to a diagnosis and assessment module. The diagnosis and assessment module generates a report that allows the DDD system to evaluate the presence or absence of DDD based on the statistical probabilities.

Abstract: The invention relates to a position determining apparatus (6) for determining the position of an interventional instrument (1) within a subject (4). A spatial relation between positions of a second part (3) of the interventional instrument outside the subject and a first part (2) of the interventional instrument within the subject is determined based on an actual image of the interventional instrument within the subject being preferentially an x-ray image and a provided position of the second part. Once the spatial relation has been determined, the position of the interventional instrument within the subject can be determined, while the interventional instrument is moved within the subject, based on the determined spatial relation and a determined actual position of the second part outside the subject, without necessarily acquiring a further actual image. This can allow for a reduction of a radiation dose, if rays are used for acquiring the actual image.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a catheter, a distal segment, a needle, and a tracking sensor. The catheter is configured to be inserted into an anatomical passageway of a patient and includes a catheter lumen. The distal segment includes a port that communicates with the catheter lumen. The needle is slidably disposed within the catheter lumen and is translatable relative to the catheter between a retracted position and an extended position. A needle distal end is configured to extend through the port when the needle is in the extended position. The tracking sensor is coupled to the needle and is configured to generate a signal corresponding to a location of the needle distal end within the patient.

Abstract: An external information platform in conjunction with an intelligent wearable outfit provides various functional modules for measuring physiological signals in a modular design. An appropriate functional module (or even more than one functional module if desired) may be selected therefrom and arranged in the wearable outfit to extend and change functions of the wearable outfit, making the intelligent wearable outfit suitable for most users who can manage personal health appropriately.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for correcting measurement variability across a scanner field of view within an image scan, such as in PET imaging. The method operates on a slice-by-slice application and identifies and negates scan inconsistencies across the scanner field of view by normalizing values across the image scan as a function of reference signals measured across the field of view.

Abstract: An intraoperative probe and a system for optically imaging a surgically significant volume of tissue or other scattering medium. An illumination source generates an illuminating beam that is conveyed to the vicinity of the tissue and a beam splitter, that may be no more than an optical phase reference, splits the illuminating beam into a sample beam along a sample beam path and a reference beam along a reference beam path. A scanning mechanism scans a portion of the sample beam across a section of the scattering medium, while a detector detects return beams from both the reference beam path and the sample beam path and generates an interference signal. A processor computationally moves an effective focus of the sample beam without physical variation of focus of the sample beam. The probe may have a sterilizable fairing that may be detachable.

Abstract: An medical viewing system (10) adapted for acquiring a first set of X-ray fluoroscopy images of an ultrasonic probe (40) of an echocardiography imaging device at two different viewing angles, wherein a processing unit (30) of the system is adapted for registering live echocardiography and live X-ray images based on the first set of X-ray fluoroscopy images, localizing cusp nadirs positions of a set of characteristic features (42, 44, 46) in the X-ray subsequent frames, establishing a set of markers to match the localized positions of the cusp nadirs characteristic features (42, 44, 46), and determining an optimal viewing angle of the X-ray image acquisition device (12), in which the markers of the second set of markers lie on a single line and are equidistant from each other in the X-ray field of view. This enables a precise alignment of the X-ray imaging device, especially for TAVR procedures.

Abstract: For sound speed imaging, different receive apertures are used instead of multiple transmissions from different angles. Acoustic echoes from a same transmission are receive beamformed with different apertures of the transducer array. The axial shift between the beamformed signals from the different apertures is used to solve for the speed of sound at one or more locations. The resulting measure of the speed of sound is displayed as the speed of sound in the tissue and may be diagnostically or prognostically useful.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for acquiring and using image data and generating a three-dimensional reconstruction of a subject. The three-dimensional reconstruction can be used to assist in determining various features, including axis and planes of a subject or members placed relative to the subject. The system can be implemented to plan and perform a procedure relative to the subject.