Abstract: An atherectomy catheter includes an elongate flexible catheter body, an elongate deflectable distal tip coupled to the catheter body at a hinge point, a rotatable cutter near the distal end of the catheter body, and a drive shaft extending within the catheter body and configured to rotate the cutter. The atherectomy catheter further includes an optical fiber extending through the drive shaft substantially on-axis with the catheter body and attached to the cutter. The optical fiber is configured to rotate with the drive shaft. The atherectomy catheter further includes a wedge configured to deflect the distal tip away from the catheter body at the hinge point upon axial movement of the drive shaft.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a medical image processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit, an identifying unit, and a display controller. The acquiring unit acquires volume data indicating the state of a three-dimensional region including a mass portion and a plurality of blood vessels derived from the mass portion in a subject. The identifying unit specifies a region corresponding to the mass portion and the blood vessels in the volume data as a region of interest. The identifying unit identifies the mass portion and each of the blood vessels in the region of interest. The display controller assigns a different display mode to at least one of the mass portion and the blood vessels.

Abstract: Provided are a method and a ultrasound imaging apparatus for managing growth of follicles in an ovary where the method comprises detecting, by a signal processor, the follicles and a plurality of parameters associated with each follicle in a three dimensional (3D) ultra sound image, tracking the detected follicles in a longitudinal scan, monitoring a rate of growth of each follicle based on the detected parameters in the longitudinal scan, determining a dosage of hormone for stimulating the ovary based on the rate of growth of each follicle, and generating a report and a nomograph based on the rate of growth of each follicle.

Abstract: A method for producing an image representative of the vasculature of a subject using a MRI system includes the acquisition of a signal indicative of a subject' cardiac phase. During each heartbeat of the subject, image slices of a volume covering a region of interest (ROI) within the subject are acquired by applying a volume-selective venous suppression pulse to suppress (a) venous signal for an upper slice in the ROI; (b) venous signal for slices that are upstream for venous flow in the ROI; and (c) background signal from the upstream slices. Next, a slice-selective background suppression pulse is applied to suppress background signal of the upper slice. Following a quiescent time interval, a spectrally selective fat suppression pulse is applied to the entire volume to attenuate signal from background fat signal. Then, a simultaneous multi-slice acquisition of the upper slice and the upstream slices is performed.

Abstract: A system and method for performing speckle correlation flow cytometry (SCFC). By subtracting out the stationary background when shining light through a sample (e.g., a vessel within a biological tissue), light only scattered by the desired targets (e.g., cells) can be captured and different types of targets (e.g., cells) can be distinguished by the autocorrelation of the speckle pattern. In this way, the targets (e.g., cells) can be classified and counted based on the features of their speckle correlations. The technique can be applied not only for noninvasive, label-free, in vivo CTC counting but also for counting other types of blood cells such as white blood cells or red blood cells.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a calculating unit, an obtaining unit, a determining unit, and a controlling unit. By using a plurality of pieces of three-dimensional ultrasound image data in a time series corresponding to a three-dimensional region including a myocardium of a subject, the calculating unit calculates first movement information indicating a movement of the myocardium by tracking a movement of a region of interest that corresponds to the myocardium and that is set in each of the plurality of pieces of three-dimensional image data. The obtaining unit obtains direction information indicating a direction of a myocardial fiber in the myocardium. The determining unit determines second movement information indicating a movement of the myocardium with respect to the direction of the myocardial fiber, on the basis of the first movement information and the direction information. The controlling unit causes a display unit to display the second movement information.

Abstract: Catheterization is carried out by inserting a probe having a location sensor into a body cavity, and in response to multiple location measurements identifying respective mapped regions of the body cavity. Using the location measurements, a simulated 3-dimensional surface of the body cavity is constructed. One or more unmapped regions are delineated by rotating the simulated 3-dimensional surface about an axis. The simulated 3-dimensional surface of the body cavity is configured to indicate locations of the unmapped regions based on the location measurements.

Abstract: Systems and methods that use computer vision techniques in connection with robotic surgery are discussed. A robotic surgery system may include an implantable device engagement sub-system, a targeting sub-system, and/or an insertion verification sub-system. The system may use computer vision techniques to facilitate implanting a micro-manufactured bio-compatible electrode device in biological tissue (e.g., neurological tissue such as the brain) using robotic assemblies. The system can attach, via robotic manipulation, the electrode to an engagement element of an insertion needle.

Abstract: A therapeutic ultrasound system transmits a staggered or interleaved pattern of therapy beams for use in sonothrombolysis and other Vascular Acoustic Resonators (VAR) mediated therapy. The inventive technique minimizes VAR, e.g. microbubble, destruction due to adjacent beams, ensures uniform sonication of the targeted region by filling in the spaces between the beams in subsequent passes, and further provides a means for bubble replenishment to maximize the clot lysis from ultrasound. The technique is also applicable to diagnostic ultrasound, VAR mediated drug delivery and blood brain barrier opening.

Abstract: A method of operating a marking device includes defining an initial condition wherein a cannula is in an extended position and a stylet is in a ready position in the extended cannula, and, starting from the initial condition with the cannula in the extended position, sequentially: effecting movement of the stylet from a ready position to an implant position, ejecting an imaging marker through a distal opening in a cannula distal end of the cannula, and then; effecting a simultaneous unitary retraction of the cannula and stylet after ejection of the imaging marker from the distal opening in the cannula distal end.

Abstract: A catheter system includes a catheter. The catheter includes a catheter tip and an ultrasound assembly at least partially positioned within the catheter tip. The ultrasound assembly includes a first optical fiber coupled to an optical-to-ultrasound transducer and a second optical fiber coupled to an ultrasound-to-optical transducer. The optical-to-ultrasound transducer is configured to generate an ultrasound signal in response to a pulsed optical signal. The ultrasound-to-optical transducer is configured to generate an optical signal in response to a received ultrasound signal.

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: A method is for performing an angiographic measurement of a main measurement region of a patient via a magnetic resonance system.

Abstract: A method of operating a fluorescent imaging system during an open surgery procedure includes concurrently illuminating a tissue with NIR excitation light and visible light, wherein NIR fluorescent light is emitted from the tissue and collecting the NIR fluorescent light and reflected visible light that is reflected from the tissue. The method also includes blocking at least a portion of the NIR excitation light reflected from the tissue and attenuating the reflected visible light. The method further includes imaging, using a camera, the NIR fluorescent light and the attenuated reflected visible light.

Abstract: A computing device for tracking surgical imaging devices stores a preoperative image of patient tissue registered to a frame of reference of a tracking system; and receives, from a first imaging device, a first intraoperative image of a first region of the tissue, with a finer resolution than the preoperative image. The computing device receives a position of the first imaging device from the tracking system, and registers the first intraoperative image with the frame of reference. The computing device receives, from a second imaging device, a second intraoperative image of a second region of the patient tissue, with a finer resolution than the first intraoperative image. The computing device registers the second intraoperative image to the first intraoperative image; and controls a display to present the preoperative image overlaid with the first intraoperative image, and the first intraoperative image overlaid with the second intraoperative image.

Abstract: A finger insert for use with a nailfold imaging device includes a housing to receive the user's finger and an immersion substance (e.g., immersion oil), and a deformable pad that holds the user's finger in place during imaging, as well as prevent bubble formation in the substance. The housing includes a transparent wall to facilitate imaging of the finger. The transparent wall includes multiple angled portions that prevent or reduce contact between the nailfold and the wall, to ensure sufficient blood flow through the nailfold region for imaging.

Abstract: An imaging system and method include a medical device (102) having a tracking element (106) mounted thereon. An array (109) of transducers is spaced apart from one another for exchanging energy in a subject between tracking element and the array of transducers. A trilateration module (104) is configured to interpret signals sensed between tracking element and the array of transducers to compute times of flight of signals associated with the transducers in the array such that a position of tracking element is determined in at least two dimensions to locate a position of the medical device in a visual image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treatment of pulmonary conditions, including a device having an end effector sized and shaped to contact a nerve component on the exterior of a bronchial segment and apply energy to that nerve component.

Abstract: Various embodiments for providing remote delivery and monitoring of health care are provided. In one embodiment, a portable apparatus for orthopedic monitoring of a patient is provided and comprises: a housing adapted for one of positioning adjacent to and positioning within an orthopedic cast; a diagnostic biomedical device integrated into the housing, wherein the diagnostic biomedical device is adapted for obtaining an orthopedic image of a portion of the patient treated with the orthopedic cast; and a wireless communications interface coupled to the diagnostic biomedical device, wherein the wireless communications interface is adapted to upload the orthopedic image to a remote server to be viewed by a medical professional.

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.