Abstract: A method for displaying images in a medical navigation system assisted by x-ray images includes calibrating an x-ray device in the medical navigation system and producing a plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images of a patient using the x-ray device. During the producing step, positions of the x-ray device are determined using the medical navigation system in order to produce positional data. Data associated with the two-dimensional x-ray images is converted into three-dimensional data. The two-dimensional x-ray images, production information corresponding to the two-dimension x-ray images, and the three-dimensional data to the navigation system. At least the two-dimensional x-ray images are displayed on an image output of the medical navigation system.

Abstract: A motion sensing MRI coil allows correction of motion-induced image artifacts by the MRI machine or on a machine independent basis using correction circuitry associated with the coil.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to slice selective magnetization preparation for moving table MRI. The present invention includes a method of magnetization preparation that takes into account patient movement or translation during the imaging process. The present invention adjusts or modifies the frequency at which magnetization preparation pulses are applied to offset the preparation pulse in space. This allows preparation pulses to be interleaved with imaging and enables magnetization preparation without sacrificing other imaging variables or parameters defined for the particular MR study. As such, contrast within a reconstructed image is improved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of MR investigation of a sample, said method comprising: (i) nuclear spin polarizing a high T1 MR imaging agent which contains in its molecular structure at least two hyperpolarisable nuclei within the same molecule, the frequency difference between the two resonance lines from said nuclei, ??, being dependent upon either the temperature or the pH of said sample; (ii) administering the nuclear spin polarized MR imaging agent to said sample; (iii) exposing said sample to a radiation at a frequency selected to excite nuclear spin transitions in said MR imaging agent; and (iv) detecting and manipulating magnetic resonance signals from said sample using a single-shot RARE acquisition sequence with shifted data acquisition.

Abstract: A method for medically employing ultrasound within a body cavity of a patient. An end effector is obtained having a medical ultrasound transducer assembly. A biocompatible hygroscopic substance is obtained having a non-expanded anhydrous state and having an expanded and fluidly-loculated hydrated state. The end effector, including the transducer assembly, and the substance in substantially its anhydrous state are inserted into a body cavity (such as endoscopically inserted into a uterus) of a patient. The transducer assembly is used to medically image and/or medically treat patient tissue (such as stopping blood flow to, and/or ablating, a uterine fibroid). A system for medically employing ultrasound includes the end effector and the substance. In another system, the end effector includes the substance. The substance in its hydrated state expands inside the body cavity providing acoustic coupling between the wall of the body cavity and the transducer assembly.

Abstract: An imaging system illuminates body tissue with infrared light to enhance visibility of subcutaneous blood vessels, and generates a video image of the body tissue and the subcutaneous blood vessels based on reflected infrared light. The system includes an infrared light source for generating the infrared light and a structure for diffusing the infrared light. The diffusing structure includes one or more layers of diffusing material for diffusing the light. The system further includes a video imaging device for receiving the infrared light reflected from the body tissue and for generating a video image of the body tissue based on the reflected infrared light.

Abstract: In a method for magnetic resonance imaging, whereby magnetic resonance signals in a region of interest of an examination subject are generated in an examination by applying radio-frequency pulses of a first transmission field strength and the magnetic resonance signals are acquired in a spatially coded manner and allocated to volume elements of the region of interest in order to obtain one or more magnetic resonance images of the region of interest, the sensitivity of each volume element of the region of interest with respect to a modification of the first transmission field strength is determined, deviations of the first transmission field strength from a reference field strength are measured during the examination, and the magnetic resonance signals acquired in the examination are corrected on the basis of the sensitivity determined for each volume element and on the basis of the measured deviations of the first transmission field strength from the reference field strength.

Abstract: In a sequence of medical image data showing tumors and blood vessels, a plasma signal is optimized to avoid flow artifacts by receiving a user input of a blood region and using the user input to seed an automated search. Each voxel is scored by time point of maximum intake, slope at maximum intake, peak value and conformance to a gamma variate curve, and the voxels with the highest scores are included in the ideal plasma region of interest. Uptake curves for both tumors and plasma are determined and used to estimate a volume transfer constant.

Abstract: Systems and methods employing a small guage steerable catheter (30) including a locatable guide (32) with a sheath (40), particularly as an enhancement to a bronchoscope (14). A typical procedure is as follows. The location of a target in a reference coordinate system is detected or imported. The catheter (30) is navigated to the target which tracking the distal tip (34) of the guide (32) in the reference coordinate system. Insertion of the catheter is typically via a working channel of a convention bronchoscope. Once the tip of the catheter is positioned at the target, the guide (32) is withdrawn, leaving the sheath (40) secured in place. The sheath (40) is then used as a guide channel to direct a medical tool to target.

Abstract: A biological light measuring instrument for illuminating a subject with a plurality of beams of light from a plurality of illuminating positions, measuring the light beams transmitted through the subject, and creating a topographic image showing ecological information about the inside of the subject, comprising unit for creating three-dimensional coordinate data representing the relationship among the illuminating positions and a reference point on the subject and the relationship between the light measuring position and the reference point, unit for setting the illuminating positions and light measuring position on a three-dimensional shape image of the subject according to the three-dimensional coordinate data, and unit for creating a three-dimensional topographic image according to the three-dimensional coordinate data, and unit for superposing the three-dimensional topographic image on the shape image while maintaining the relationships of the illuminating positions and the light measuring position.

Abstract: Featured is a system to determine the three-dimensional position and orientation of an effector (a needle, probe, or other medical instrument) relative to a subject using cross-sectional images (e.g. from a CT or MRI scanner). Also provided is a method for image guided effector placement that requires no immobilization of the patient or fiducial implantation. A localization module (fiducial object) is integrated or associated with the effector allowing for the localization of the effector in the image space using a single cross-sectional image.

Abstract: A device, a method and a computer program to model and report an anatomic structure, for example for coronary angiography is provided. The graphical editor models and reports the morphology/topology of the coronary anatomy with its clinical relevant items, i.e. grafts, stents, stenosis/occlusion and turtuosity. From the model different presentations (views) with adjustable display attribute settings, like scale and shape of the arteries can be constructed.

Abstract: An optometric apparatus for a subjective examination of a visual function of an eye of an examinee includes a pair of right and left lens chamber units, each including, a test window and a rotating disk on which a plurality of optical elements are mounted in a circumferential arrangement to be changeably placed in the test window, the optical elements including a green filter and an aperture.

Abstract: An optical CT scanner for small laboratory animals comprises a housing having a vertical through opening through which a test subject is passed through during a scanning session, the housing including a peripheral slot disposed around the perimeter of the opening; a movable horizontal table disposed through the opening, the table being split with a horizontal slot aligned with the peripheral slot; a light beam directed toward the peripheral slot and orbitable around the opening; a plurality of collimators directed toward the peripheral slot and orbitable around the opening together with the light beam; a plurality of main photodetectors to detect the light beam after passing through the test subject and the collimators; a perimeter photodetector adapted to provide perimeter data of the test subject during a scanning session; and a first computer programmed to reconstruct an image of the test subject from the output of the perimeter and main photodetectors.

Abstract: A system for the determination of quantifies relating to the circulatory system of a patient including a device for the non-invasive measurement of the qualitative variation over time of the local concentration of an indicator injected into the blood circulation system at a first position, the measurement taking place at a second position of the blood circulation system. An evaluating unit is provided, in which there is implemented an evaluating algorithm which transforms the qualitative variation into a quantitative variation over time of the local concentration of the indicator injected into the blood circulation system. For the purposes of the transformation, the condition is fulfilled that the cardiac output COdye calculable from the quantitative variation over time of the local concentration in accordance with a predetermined relationship is equal to an input value of the cardiac output COe, which has been determined by thermodilution measurement.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and software for selecting image slices. The image slices are preferably taken during a quiet part of the patient's heart cycle in which the heart is relatively motionless so as to reduce blurring and the introduction of artifacts into the resultant reconstructed projection image of the heart. The methods of the present invention can analyze information regarding the duration of the patient's R-R cycles and allow the user to choose from a plurality of selection criteria, typically an absolute time or a percentage of the R-R cycle, so as to select slice images for inclusion in a projection image. The ability to choose from a plurality of selection criteria provides for flexibility to account for irregular heartbeats or a change in the duration of the patient's R-R cycles. In exemplary embodiments, the resultant projection image can be used for coronary calcium scoring or 3-D rendering of the heart.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method for haptic sculpting of a physical object using a haptic device comprises defining a haptic object for aiding in the sculpting of the physical object, dynamically modifying a configuration of the haptic object in response to a medical device coupled to the haptic device being in proximity to the haptic object, and providing haptic cues to guide a user of the medical device in sculpting at least a portion of the physical object corresponding to the haptic object.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for improving the vessel/tissue contrast in time-of-flight angiography with a magnetic resonance tomography measurement, a sequence of radiofrequency excitation pulses is generated that each have a flip angle and a temporal spacing in the sequence defined by a repetition time, gradient pulses are generated with gradient coils such that, using an analog-to-digital converter, the magnetic resonance response signals are sampled in the frequency domain (k-space) in a slice referred to as a k-matrix, the k-matrix is sampled such that the respective distances of the measuring points from the center of the k-matrix are continuously increased (or decreased), and the repetition time is varied during the sampling, and/or the flip angle is varied during the sampling.

Abstract: In a method for implementing a dynamic magnetic resonance measurement with contrast agent administration, at least one imaging magnetic resonance measurement of a subject region is implemented using an inversion recovery sequence at a first and possibly further points in time after administration of the contrast agent, to obtain a magnetic resonance image of the subject region. Immediately before the first and, if used, the further points in time, a pre-measurement with a magnetic resonance sequence is implemented wherein the T1 time of a tissue type, or a substance type that is of no interest in the magnetic resonance image of the subject region, is determined, and an inversion time TI used for the following imaging magnetic resonance measurement is calculated as TI=In2 ×T1.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, attractive haptic objects are associated with a target region for performing a medical procedure and repulsive haptic objects are associated with anatomical features to be avoided during the medical procedure. A surgeon may perform surgical planning by moving the haptic device around. The surgeon moves the haptic device until a pose is found where haptic cues from the attractive haptic objects are active indicating that a medical device if attached to the haptic device would reach the target region, and haptic cues from the repulsive haptic objects are inactive indicating that the medical device would not penetrate any of the anatomical features to be avoided. During the planning process a virtual tool may be displayed on a display device to indicate the position and/or movement of the medical device if the medical device had been coupled to the haptic device.