Abstract: Apparatus for operating MRI is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a control for operating an MRI scanner to carry out an MRI scan; an input for receiving first and second MRI scans respectively at the beginning and end of a predetermined time interval post contrast administration; a subtraction map former for forming a subtraction map from the first and the second MRI scans by analyzing the scans to distinguish between a population in which contrast clearance from the tissue is slower than contrast accumulation, and a population in which clearance is faster than accumulation; and an output to provide an indication of distribution of the populations. The control is configured to carry out the first scan at least five minutes and no more than twenty minutes post contrast administration and to carry out the second scan such that the predetermined time period is at least twenty minutes.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems, including computer-implemented methods for building a lipid core plaque (LCP) cap collagen structural integrity classifier are described. The blood vessel wall is illuminated with near-infrared light. Reflected near-infrared light from the blood vessel wall is received. A reflectance spectrum based on the reflected near-infrared light from the blood vessel wall is determined. Whether the reflectance spectrum is indicative of the presence of an LCP is determined. Collagen structural integrity indicator data associated with the blood vessel wall are determined. The LCP cap collagen structural integrity classifier is generated based on the reflectance spectrum and the collagen structural integrity indicator data.

Abstract: An OCT system for imaging multiple depth positions includes a light source, a sample arm and two or more reference arms. The sample arm propagates light to the object and directs object return light having a first return light beam from a first position and a second return light beam from a second position, the second return light having a dispersion level higher than the first return light beam by a dispersion difference amount. The first and second reference arms produce light beams having substantially the same dispersion as the first and second return light beams, respectively. The optical pathway combines all of the object return light and the reference light beams. An OCT detector measures the resulting interferogram. Imaging information is obtained for both the first position and the second position based on the dispersion difference amount.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for adjusting a table position in a medical data acquisition scanner, image data relating to a body region are generated by operation of the medical data acquisition scanner by running a scanning protocol. The scanning protocol is intended to be used independently of the body region that is mapped. An iso-mode, in which a relative position of the body region relative to the isocenter of the medical data acquisition scanner can be set via the table position in accordance with an optimization criterion, and on a ref-mode, in which the table position is set at a predetermined reference position, are provided.

Abstract: A non-contact blood-pressure measuring device includes: an image acquiring section that acquires a skin image obtained by capturing skin of a user; a pulse-wave timing calculating section that calculates, as a pulse-wave timing, time information indicative of a time at which time-varying luminance in the skin image reaches a peak; a millimeter-wave acquiring section that acquires a signal of a radio wave reflected by the user; a heartbeat timing calculating section that calculates, as a heartbeat timing, time information indicative of a time at which a time-varying distance to the user obtained on the basis of the signal of the radio wave acquired by the millimeter-wave acquiring section reaches a peak; and a blood-pressure determining section that determines blood pressure of the user on the basis of a time difference between the pulse-wave timing and the heartbeat timing.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved medical devices equipped with a visualization device for intubation, extubation, ventilation, drug delivery, feeding and continuous remote monitoring of a patient. The present invention also provides methods for rapid and accurate placement of a medical device in a patient and continuous real time monitoring, including a remote monitoring, of the patient after the placement.

Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes a plurality of ultrasonic wave transmitting sections adapted to transmit an ultrasonic wave as a fundamental wave, and a plurality of ultrasonic wave receiving sections capable of receiving a second-order harmonic wave with respect to the fundamental wave, the plurality of ultrasonic wave transmitting sections and the plurality of ultrasonic wave receiving sections are arranged along an X direction, the plurality of ultrasonic wave receiving sections are arranged at first intervals corresponding to the order of the second-order harmonic wave, the N ultrasonic wave transmitting sections constitute a single transmission channel, and are wired with each other, and the transmission channels are arranged at second intervals each twice as long as the first interval. N is a natural number.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomograph and a method for tracking a marker in an examination subject by a magnetic resonance tomograph are disclosed. The magnetic resonance tomograph includes a first image recording mode for acquiring the position of the marker. In one act of the method, data for acquiring the position of the marker is recorded with the first image recording mode. In a further act, a position of the marker is determined from the data and a first image with a location-accurate reproduction of the marker is prepared. The recording of the data for acquiring the position of the marker takes place depending on an event.

Abstract: An imaging system is provided with an ultrasound catheter and a controller coupled to the ultrasound catheter. The catheter includes a localizer sensor configured to generate positional information for the ultrasound catheter, and an imaging ultrasound sensor having a restricted field of view. The controller co-registers images from the imaging ultrasound sensor with positional information from the localizer sensor.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining contrast enhanced perfusion imaging data of at least two vessel regions, one downstream from the other, and at least one tissue of interest, which receives blood from the circulatory system, of a scanned subject. The method further includes determining a blood flow time difference between contrast material peaks of the at least two vessel regions based on the image data. The method further includes determining an absolute perfusion of the tissue of interest based on the image data. The method further includes computing a standardized perfusion value based on the absolute perfusion and the time difference. The method further includes displaying the standardized perfusion value.

Abstract: A connecting device for establishing a data link between a docking device provided at a part of a magnetic resonance scanner, and a patient support, with at least one slot for a local coil, which can be docked to the docking device, has a first data transmission device on the patient support side, which interacts with a second data transmission device on the docking device side in order to establish the data link in the docked state. The data transmission devices each have at least one communication device designed for wireless near field communication.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring macromolecular proton fraction in a subject are provided. A nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus applies a magnetic field to a body region on the subject, and radiofrequency modes are applied to the body region as well. Each radiofrequency mode delivers a plurality of radiofrequency pulses separated by time delays, wherein at least one of the radiofrequency modes causes suppression of signal components from an unwanted tissue, and at least one of the radiofrequency modes causes magnetization exchange between water and macromolecules in tissues in the body region. Amplitudes corresponding to magnetic signals received from the body region are measured and macromolecular proton fraction based on the amplitudes can be calculated.

Abstract: A device may emit a first emission sequence of infrared radiation at a subject, and capture a first reflected sequence of infrared radiation reflected from the subject. The first emission sequence may be compared to the first reflected sequence, and, based on the comparison, a sequence of variations may be determined. The sequence of variations may be compared to a signal pattern stored in a sleep profile for the subject. The subject may be determined to have exhibited a sleep behavior based on the comparison of the sequence of variations to the signal pattern stored in the sleep profile. In response to determining that the subject has exhibited the sleep behavior, the device may capture a second reflected sequence of radiation reflected from the subject. A breathing rate of the subject and/or a heart rate of the subject may be determined based on the second reflected sequence.

Abstract: Still image display of a recent video image of tissue as a reference still image prior to a switch in the mode of illumination of the tissue. The still image is displayed concurrently with live video of the tissue under a different mode of illumination, to facilitate discrimination between healthy and diseased tissue, and further facilitate therapeutic intervention. The reference still image may be displayed either as an insert (picture-in-picture), side-by-side, or the like concurrently with the live video image. In some embodiments, when a practitioner switches a light source from “excitation-light” to “white light”, the “excitation-light” video may be frozen/captured and displayed as a reference still image as a PIP, and the “white-light” live video is displayed concurrently. When the source is switched again, the “white-light” video may be frozen/captured and displayed as a reference still image, and the “excitation-light” live video is displayed concurrently.

Abstract: Still image display of a recent video image of tissue as a reference still image prior to a switch in the mode of illumination of the tissue. The still image is displayed concurrently with live video of the tissue under a different mode of illumination, to facilitate discrimination between healthy and diseased tissue. When a practitioner switches a light source from a “first light” to a “second light”, the second light video may be frozen/captured and displayed as a reference still image as a PIP, and the second light live video is displayed concurrently. The second light can be infrared and/or near infrared light. The second light can include structured light to project a structured light pattern to facilitate structure measurements. The second light source is configured with a numerical aperture greater than the first light source.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprising a disposable non-magnetic optical fibre probe for coupling light into a sample and receiving light from the sample for performing Raman spectroscopy, and a non-magnetic optical extension releasably connected to the disposable non-magnetic optical probe for transmitting light into the disposable non-magnetic optical probe and receiving light from the disposable non-magnetic optical probe.

Abstract: A method includes registering a distal segment of a guide catheter with a patient coordinate system; tracking a position of the distal segment; determining an insertion length based on the tracked position, wherein the imaging probe is disposed within the guide catheter; receiving an image of an anatomic structure from the imaging probe, the image having an image frame of reference, the distal segment having a catheter frame of reference; receiving location data associated with a target structure identified in the image, wherein the received location data is in the image frame of reference; and transforming the location data from the image frame of reference to the catheter frame of reference based on the determined insertion length and the tracked position of the distal segment, wherein transforming the location data further includes determining a roll angle for the image frame of reference with respect to the catheter frame of reference.

Abstract: Systems and method for optical imaging of an animal include a body conforming animal mold, which is shaped and sized to hold an animal in an immobilized and geometrically defined position and a gantry, which can include multiple optical mirrors to provide for simultaneous imaging of multiple different views of an animal within a body conforming animal mold.

Abstract: A method for real-time displaying of cross-sectional images during an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging procedure includes, during an intravascular ultrasound imaging procedure, receiving electrical signals from at least one transducer in a catheter as the at least one transducer rotates and moves longitudinally along a lumen of a patient blood vessel; during the intravascular ultrasound imaging procedure, processing the received electrical signals to form a series of cross-sectional images that are longitudinally-offset from one another along a length of the lumen; during the intravascular ultrasound imaging procedure, concurrently displaying i) a most recent image and ii) a previous image that is either a) selected by the operator or b) automatically selected as having a maximum or minimum of a selected image characteristic; and, during the intravascular ultrasound imaging procedure, updating the display of the most recent image as a new image from the series of cross-sectional images is processed.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a system and method are provided for determining position and orientation of an optical delivery unit relative to an acoustic receiving unit, in the field of opto-acoustic imaging, wherein the optical delivery unit comprises a first fiducial marker site configured to emit acoustic responses and a second fiducial marker site configured to emit acoustic responses. A plurality of acoustic signals from a volume of a subject are sampled and recorded, each of the plurality of acoustic signals being collected at a different data collection position relative to a coordinate reference frame. The system is configured to identify in each of the plurality of acoustic signals a response of a first fiducial marker and a response of a second fiducial marker. Each identified response indicates a separation between a fiducial marker site and a data collection position of an acoustic signal.