Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for thermal therapy in a male prostate patient. The apparatus includes a long tubular element that is to be inserted into a patient's urethra so that a first tip end of it reaches up into the patient's diseased prostate. The elongated portion includes a narrow cylindrical tube within which an ultrasonic array is disposed along the long axis of the cylinder. Fluid is pumped into and out of a treatment zone of said patient as needed to control a temperature of a region in said treatment zone. A motorized driver is used to controllably rotate said elongated portion and the ultrasound array therein about the long axis of the apparatus so as to deliver acoustic energy to said diseased tissue. Various control and monitoring components may be used in conjunction with the present apparatus to design, control, and terminate the therapy.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, by an electronic device, sensor data during a spirometry test of a user, the sensor data comprising audio data of the user and distance data of a distance from a face of the user to the electronic device. The method also includes obtaining, by the electronic device, an amount of air volume exchange and at least one pulmonary health parameter that are determined based on the audio data and the distance data. The method also includes presenting an indicator on a display of the electronic device for use by the user or a medical provider, the indicator representing the amount of air volume exchange.

Abstract: A hyperspectral facial analysis system and method for personalized health scoring to assess the risk that a person has a disease. Embodiments capture images in multiple spectral bands, such as visible, infrared, and ultraviolet, and analyze these images to generate multiple health metrics, such as pallor, temperature, sweat, and chromophores. These metrics may be combined into an overall health score that may be used for screening. Image analysis may focus on the area under the eyes, where skin is thinnest. Images may be compared to a reference population to identify anomalous values, so that health scoring automatically adjusts for local conditions. Pallor may be calculated based on hue and saturation of visible light images. Temperature may be calculated based on infrared image intensity. Sweat may be calculated using cross-polarized images to identify specular highlights. Chromophores may be calculated by comparing frequency domain ultraviolet images to those of the reference population.

Abstract: Z maps combined with a standardized stimulus in the form of a targeted arterial partial pressures of carbon dioxide provide surprisingly enhanced images for the assessment of pathological CVR. For example, the z-map assessment of patients with known steno-occlusive diseases of the cervico-cerebral vasculature showed an enhanced resolution of the presence, localization, and severity of the pathological CVR. Z-map have been found to be useful to reduce the confounding effects of test-to-test, subject-to-subject, and platform-to-platform variability for comparison of CVR images showing the importance of combining this analysis with the standardized stimulus.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a flexible planar strip with a plurality of layers is described. The flexible planar strip is configured to at least partially encapsulate a medical device. The flexible planar strip includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, and a patterned conductive layer including a sensor electrode disposed on the second dielectric layer. According to one aspect an ultrasound sensor including a piezoelectric polymer. The ultrasound sensor is disposed on the sensor electrode such that a first surface of the ultrasound sensor is in electrical contact with the sensor electrode and such that a second surface of the ultrasound sensor is exposed for making electrical contact with a medical device.

Abstract: A non-invasive and accurate vagina evaluation device and uterine evaluation devices are provided that measure the receptivity (uterine implantation capacity) of the mother's body to a fertilized egg implanting itself into the uterus. A first vagina evaluation device includes: a main body stretchable and expandable after insertion into a vagina, followed by air injection thereinto; four electrodes brought into contact with the vagina wall as the main body expands and stretches; and fixation means configured to fix the interval of arrangement of the electrodes. Second and third uterine evaluation device include: a flexible and rod-shaped main body for insertion into a uterine cavity; and four or two impedance electrodes arranged with a predetermined interval therebetween in an insertion direction of the main body and brought into contact with an endometrium of the uterine cavity to measure a uterine endometrial impedance generated between the endometrium and each of the electrodes.

Abstract: A registration system for medical navigation includes a shape sensing device (SSD) (104, 504) having at least one sensor (450, 505) for providing corresponding sensor information (SI) indicative of at least one of a position of the at least one sensor (450, 505); a registration fixture (106) having a channel (130) configured to receive at least part of the SSD and defining a registration path (P). The registration fixture may be configured to be attached to a registrant object (RO) (119) defining a workspace. A controller (110) may be configured to: sense a shape of a path traversed by the SSD based upon the SI when the at least one sensor is situated within the channel (130), determine whether the sensed shape of the path corresponds with a known shape selected from one or more known shapes, and perform a coordinate registration based upon the determination.

Abstract: A method of non-invasively monitoring the respiration of a patient comprises: transmitting ultrasound into the body toward an internal structure of the patient's body, the internal structure being one of the liver, the spleen or a kidney; selecting a depth range; measuring the phase of ultrasound echo signals from the internal structure at multiple points along the depth range for at least a first and a second echo signal, the first and second echo signals being received at different times; detecting the motion of the internal structure within the patient's abdomen by reference to differences in the measured phase between the first and the second echo signals; and thereby monitoring the respiration of the patient by associating movement of the internal structure with movement caused by respiration.

Abstract: The ultrasonic oscillator unit has: an ultrasonic oscillator array in which a plurality of ultrasonic oscillators are arranged; an electrode part having a plurality of electrodes provided on an end surface side of the ultrasonic oscillator array and electrically connected to the plurality of ultrasonic oscillators, respectively; a backing material layer that is disposed on a back surface of the ultrasonic oscillator array, has an outer surface having a circular-arc cross-section and is provided with a recess on the inside thereof opposite to the outer surface; a wiring board having a plurality of wiring lines electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes of the electrode part; and a cable wiring part in which a plurality of cables connected to the plurality of wiring lines, respectively, are wiring-connected; at least a portion of the cable wiring part being included in the recess of the backing material layer.

Abstract: A device for detecting spatial differences in fluid level changes in a tissue of a patient may include a support structure for securing the device to a body part of the patient, a processing element operably connected to the support structure, a wireless networking interface operably connected to the support structure and in communication with the processing element and an external computing device via a network, a first transmission module operably connected to the support structure and in communication with the processing element, a second transmission module and a third transmission module operably connected to the support structure and in communication with the processing element. When activated, the first transmission module transmits a first time varying magnetic field through the tissue of the patient. The second and third transmission modules, which are spatially separated from one another, receive first and second versions, respectively, of the first time varying magnetic field.

Abstract: A method of providing by a diagnostic medical imaging device, medical image data representing a diagnostic medical image of the tissue of the patient.

Abstract: A medical system includes an interventional instrument and a control system including one or more processors. The control system is configured to: receive a pose dataset for a point on the instrument retained in compliant movement with a cyclically moving patient anatomy for a plurality of time parameters during a cyclical anatomical motion; determine a set of pose differentials for the identified point with respect to a reference point at each time parameter; identify a periodic signal for the anatomical motion from the set of pose differentials; generate a command signal indicating an intended movement of the instrument relative to the patient anatomy; adjust the command signal to include an instruction for a cyclical instrument motion based on a phase of the anatomical motion; and cause the intended movement of the instrument relative to the patient anatomy based on the adjusted command signal to compensate for the anatomical motion.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed for diagnosis including a plurality of transmitting and receiving units, an error of a scale of a tomographic image to be generated is reduced. The imaging apparatus includes a transmitting and receiving unit comprising a first transmitting and receiving unit configured to perform transmission and reception of an ultrasound signal and a second transmitting and receiving unit configured to perform transmission and reception of an optical signal when rotating in the lumen of the measurement subject body; and a processor configured to: convert positional information of each position outside the range in which the flushing liquid flows regarding the ultrasound line data generated by the processor based on a ratio between the ultrasound propagation velocity in the flushing liquid and the ultrasound propagation velocity in the blood vessel; and construct the first tomographic image using the ultrasound line data which is converted by the processor.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to diagnostic device and system including a proximal balloon disposed along a length of a catheter and a distal balloon disposed at a distal end of the catheter, with at least one camera disposed at the distal balloon and a pH sensor deployable via inflation of the proximal balloon and configured to engage a patient's esophagus wall to attach the pH sensor to the patient's esophagus wall. In an illustrative example, the pH sensor may be releasably retained to the catheter adjacent to the proximal balloon. The pH sensor may include a tissue engaging feature configured to engage a patient's esophagus wall to attach the pH sensor to the patient's esophagus wall. The diagnostic device may improve upon existing processes by providing a single device to perform a multi-purpose diagnostic procedure.

Abstract: An exemplary coil arrangement can be provided, which can include, for example, coil element(s) having a parallel resonant circuit at a port, where the coil element(s) is detuned by causing a low impedance at the port. Pre-amplifier arrangements can provide a low impedance at the port of the coil element(s) to suppress the induced current on the coil element(s) thereby reducing the inductive coupling to neighboring element(s). The coil element(s) can include an inductance and a capacitance which cancel each other out. The inductance and the capacitance can cancel each other out such that an impedance of the coil element has no imaginary part at a working frequency. An impedance of the coil element(s) in free space includes a real part that can be greater than a sum of losses for the coil element(s).

Abstract: A system and method for reducing the risk of contamination of interior regions of a needle guide which is disposed on an endocavity transducer, which system includes an elastic membrane forming a pocket which covers a needle exit hole in the needle guide. The pocket is disposed on a sheath which is both; disposed around the endocavity transducer and between the endocavity transducer and the needle guide.

Abstract: Apparatus, including an insertion tube, configured to be inserted into a body cavity and having a first lumen having a first lumen diameter and a distal opening, and a tubular channel, having a second lumen and an outer channel diameter smaller than the first lumen diameter, inserted into the first lumen. The apparatus includes a support structure, configured to be passed through a space between an inner wall of the insertion tube and an outer wall of the tubular channel to the distal opening in a folded state and to unfold, upon exit of the support structure through the distal opening, in a direction transverse to the first lumen to reach a support dimension that is greater than the first lumen diameter. A plurality of planar two-dimensional arrays of ultrasonic transducers are supported by the support structure, the arrays having transverse dimensions less than the first lumen diameter.

Abstract: A computer assisted surgical system that includes an apparatus for imaging a region of interest of a portion of an anatomy of a subject; a memory containing executable instructions; and a processor programmed using the instructions to receive two or more two-dimensional images of the region of interest taken at different angles from the apparatus and process the two or more two-dimensional images to produce three dimensional information associated with the region of interest.

Abstract: A system for creating customized learning content for ultrasound simulators using materials from an existing library of curated content including images, volumetric data sets, and metadata, or otherwise acquired, overcoming numerous challenges to ultrasound education and training, including the ability to seamlessly create real-patient based ultrasound training curriculum, the creation of an expansive library that that represents multiple pathologic conditions, and the dissemination of training content to multiple users in an asynchronous manner.

Abstract: A system and method for converting a commercial diagnostic ultrasound transducer into a medical training device that is used for simulated ultrasound training; or a system and method for adding a training option to a standard ultrasound diagnostic system by attaching a motion sensor accessory to the commercial diagnostic ultrasound transducer.