Abstract: During shock wave therapy, a determination is made that a kidney stone has begun to fracture, and then a progress of its fragmentation is assessed. This determination can reduce the number of shock waves used to disintegrate kidney stones, and thereby reduce dose-dependent tissue damage. The identification of fracture is possible through the detection and analysis of resonant acoustic scattering, which is the radiation caused by reverberations within a stone particle that is struck by a shock wave. The scattering frequency can provide both an indication that the kidney stone has fragmented, and an indication of the relative sizes of the fragments. Related concepts employ displacement measurements of kidney stones/fragments to provide both an indication that the kidney stone has fragmented, and an indication of the relative sizes of the fragments. Such techniques can be combined with vibro-acoustography based gating that better targets the stone.

Abstract: A method is provided for deep tissue imaging using multi-photon excitation of a fluorescent agent. The fluorescent agent is irradiated with an ultrafast laser to produce an excited singlet state (Sn) which subsequently undergoes non-radiative relaxation to a first singlet state (S1). The S1 state undergoes fluorescence to the ground state S0 to produce an emission wavelength. Both the excitation and emission wavelengths are within the near infrared optical window, thereby permitting deep tissue penetration for both the incoming and outgoing signals.

Abstract: Devices and systems for ultrasonically imaging tissue and performing ablation therapy are disclosed. An ablation probe for treating and imaging body tissue includes an ablation electrode tip with a number of acoustic openings and a plurality of ultrasonic imaging sensors disposed within an interior lumen of the tip. The ultrasonic imaging sensors are supported within the interior lumen via an insert equipped with a number of recesses that receive the ultrasonic imaging sensors. An acoustically transparent shell disposed between the ultrasonic imaging sensors and the acoustic openings forms a fluid channel in the acoustic pathway of the sensors. During an ablation procedure, cooling fluid from an external fluid source is delivered through the fluid channel, providing an acoustic coupling effect between the ultrasonic imaging sensors and the surrounding body tissue.

Abstract: When a user designates a treatment range on a diagnostic image, a switch (12) selects a transmitter for treatment (16). Ultrasound with intensity for treatment is thereby transmitted from a probe (10) to the inside of an organism. When the treatment operation continues for a prescribed time, a control unit (18) controls the switch (12) to select a transmitter for diagnosis (14). The probe (10) thereby emits an ultrasound beam for diagnosis, senses an echo thereof, generates a diagnostic image, and carries out an inspection of a positional shift of the site to be treated. In the inspection, the control unit (18) compares the diagnostic image with a reference image, and if a significant difference is detected therebetween, determines that a shift has occurred, issues an alarm, and urges the user to correct the positional shift. It is possible to resume the treatment when the positional shift has been corrected.

Abstract: A transducer cover for use in an ultrasonic medical instrument having a transducer is disclosed. The transducer cover includes a vibration absorbing layer of a generally cylindrical form made of a synthetic resin having a vibration absorbing property, and a chemical blocking layer of a generally cylindrical form made of a synthetic resin which is impermeable to water and chemicals. The vibration absorbing layer and the chemical blocking layer are coaxially laminated, and capable of sealing arrangement over and around the transducer. Also disclosed is an ultrasonic medical instrument having an ultrasonic transducer and the transducer cover, and a method for forming the transducer cover over and around an ultrasonic transducer of an ultrasonic medical instrument.

Abstract: An electronic sphygmomanometer includes a cuff including an air bladder, a pressure sensor, an artery volume sensor, and a computation device. The computation device includes an inner pressure control section, a volume sensor signal receive section for receiving a pulse wave signal detected by the artery volume sensor, a pressure sensor signal receive section for receiving a pressure pulse wave signal superimposed on the inner pressure of the air bladder and detected by the pressure sensor, a judgment section for choosing either the pulse wave signal or the pressure pulse wave signal as a signal for calculating pulse rate of the patient during a period when the inner pressure of the air bladder is increased and/or decreased by the inner pressure control section, and a pulse rate calculation section for calculating pulse rate of the patient based on the pulse wave signal and the signal chosen by the judgment section.

Abstract: The disclosure of the present application provides methods for the noninvasive determination of cardiac and pulmonary pressures based off of patient-specific medical images and one or more computations. In one exemplary embodiment, the method comprises noninvasively generating a patient-specific medical image of at least a portion of a heart, determining a free vibration measurement from the left ventricular free wall based on the patient-specific image, and performing at least one computation using the free vibration measurement to noninvasively determine a cardiac or pulmonary pressure.

Abstract: An ultrasound system with a matrix array (500) probe (10) operable in the biplane mode is used to assess stenosis of a blood vessel by simultaneously displaying two color Doppler biplane images (60a, 60b) of the vessel, one a longitudinal cross-sectional view (60a) and the other a transverse cross-sectional view (60b). The two image planes intersect along a Doppler beam line (68) used for PW Doppler. A sample volume graphic (SV) is positioned over the blood vessel at the peak velocity location in one image, then positioned over the blood vessel at the peak velocity location in the other image. As the sample volume location is moved in one image, the plane and/or sample volume location of the other image is adjusted correspondingly. Spectral Doppler data (62) is then acquired and displayed from the sample volume location.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing a condition of a subject includes imaging an abdominal area of the subject to obtain one or more images of the abdominal area. Separation between rectus abdominis muscles in the abdominal area is located from the one or more images. Distance of the separation between the rectus abdominis muscles is quantified. The results of the quantified distance and one or more images are outputted on one or more display units.

Abstract: Device for the representation, in a frequency-wave number reference frame f-k, of the propagation of an ultrasound wave in a dihedral guide (1), which comprises ultrasound emitters (2) referenced by “Ej” with j an integer varying between 1 and N, N a strictly positive integer and ultrasound receivers (3) referenced by “Ri” with i an integer varying between 1 and M, M a strictly positive integer, the receivers being disposed spatially over a first segment of a straight line according to a regular pitch “A”, which comprises means for processing the signal received by the receivers, originating from the emitters, and in which the processing means comprise means for calculating a modified discrete spatial Fourier transform, for a spatial integration variable “x”, centered in the middle of said first segment and running through the receivers in the direction of increasing x, and for a wave vector k(x) equal to a product k.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope includes: an ultrasound probe arranged in a distal end rigid portion; a suction and forceps port provided in a vicinity of the ultrasound probe; a treatment instrument insertion channel and a negative pressure channel communicating with the suction and forceps port; and a control valve configured to variably regulate a negative pressure for suction that is transmitted to the suction and forceps port through the treatment instrument insertion channel and the negative pressure channel to two or more states.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a head coil for an imaging MRT system. The head coil includes a head coil upper part and a head coil lower part. At least the head coil upper part may be tilted relative to the head coil lower part, and an internal connecting cable of the head coil is embodied as a rigid-flex circuit board with a rigid region and a flexible region.

Abstract: A probe having a contact force sensor is inserted into a cardiac chamber and an image of the blood pool is generated. A portion of the blood pool is removed from the image to retain a remaining portion of the blood pool. A determination is made that the distal segment of the probe is within the remaining portion of the blood pool, and responsively to the determination the contact force sensor is manually zeroed.

Abstract: The method of characterizing an ultrasound lesion (T) in organic tissues, the lesion being made by applying high intensity focused ultrasound delivered by a probe having its emission surface presenting a shape that is toroidal, consists in: after a period of at least two days from the end of ultrasound application, acquiring at least one characterization image (Ic) of the organic tissues; detecting the presence of a contrast border (16) in the characterization image (Ic); and from the contrast border (16), determining the extent of the ultrasound lesion.

Abstract: A hydraulic unit of an electronic control brake system including a modulator block; a pair of master cylinder connection portions; a first valve row having a plurality of first valve accommodation bores; a second valve row having a plurality of second valve accommodation bores; a pair of low-pressure accumulator bores arranged in a bottom side of the modulator block in the lateral direction; pump accommodation bores; a pair of shuttle valve ESV accommodation bores arranged between the first valve row and the second valve row; a pair of driving force control valve TC accommodation bores arranged between wheel cylinder connection portions formed in the modulator block and the first valve row; and a pair of high-pressure accumulator bores arranged in the modulator block in a longitudinal direction, wherein the pair of high-pressure accumulator bores are formed to have an arrangement parallel to the motor accommodation bores.

Abstract: There is provided a method and a system for quantification of absolute blood flow in tissue using near-infrared fluorescence angiography in conjunction with photoplethysmography (fluorescence-mediated photoplethysmography). The method and system of the present invention provide absolute, real-time measurements of flow in terms of volume/time/area based upon measurement of fluorescence intensity.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a positioning system and a patient reference sensor (PRS). The positioning system acquires a plurality of raw PRS readings over time, which can indicate the position and orientation of the PRS. A filter is configured to process the raw PRS readings and output filtered PRS readings. The filter outputs filtered PRS readings as a baseline value while the raw PRS readings stay within a predetermined range and output filtered PRS readings as unchanged raw PRS readings when the raw PRS readings reach or vary outside of the predetermined range. A motion compensation function generated based on at least the filtered PRS readings can be used to correct a subject position and orientation (P&O) to compensate for the motion of the moving region of interest over time.

Abstract: A method for automatically and dynamically optimizing image acquisition parameters/commands of an imaging procedure performed by a medical imaging apparatus in order to mitigate or cancel dynamic effects perturbing the image acquisition process of an object to be imaged by the medical imaging apparatus. The method includes connecting a dynamic correction module (DCM) to the medical imaging apparatus, automatically acquiring by the DCM image acquisition parameters/commands and data about dynamic changes or effects, and automatically determining in real time, by the DCM, at least one new image acquisition parameter/command from the image acquisition parameters/commands defined in the imaging control system and the dynamic change data, while the image acquisition parameter/command defined in the imaging control system remains unchanged. The method further includes automatically providing, by the DCM, the new image acquisition parameter/command to the hardware control system.

Abstract: Devices and methods for treating obesity are provided. More particularly, intragastric devices and methods of fabricating, deploying, inflating, locating, tracking, monitoring, deflating, and retrieving the same are provided.

Abstract: MRI techniques seek to simultaneously measure physiological parameters in multiple directions, requiring the application of multiple encoding magnetic field gradient waveforms. The use of multiple encoding waveforms degrades the temporal resolution of the measurement, or may distort the results depending on the methodology used to derive physiological parameters from the measured data. The disclosed Direct Inversion Reconstruction Method (DiR) provides distortion-free velocity images with high temporal resolution, without changing the method of acquiring the phase data. The disclosed method provides a more stable and accurate recovery of phase-based dynamic magnetic resonance signals with higher temporal resolution than current state-of-the-art methods.