Abstract: A tracker, a surgical tool system, a surgical navigation system, and a method for operating a surgical navigation system are provided. The tracker is configured to be associated with a patient or a surgical tool that is to be tracked by the surgical navigation system. The tracker comprises an optical fibre having a longitudinal extension and configured to be optically coupled to a light source such that the optical fibre transmits light emitted by the light source. The optical fibre has a lateral surface along its longitudinal extension and is configured to emit light via at least a portion of the lateral surface.

Abstract: A catheter including an elongated tube having a channel; an inflatable chamber coupled to the elongated tube and in fluid communication with the channel; and a high-density liquid delivery system in fluid communication with the channel, the high-density liquid delivery system delivering a high-density liquid to the inflatable chamber via the channel to cause the inflatable chamber to expand.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes ultrasound imaging systems and methods that may be used to assist clinicians in locating lesions during an ultrasound exam that were previously located from images acquired by another imaging system, for example, a magnetic resonance imaging system. A lesion location interface is disclosed that provides visual indications of predicted lesion locations on a display. The predicted lesion locations may be determined by a deformation model included in an ultrasound imaging system as disclosed herein.

Abstract: A medical robotic system includes a control system and a manipulator assembly including actuators to manipulate a flexible elongate body, including a rotation actuator to bend the flexible elongate body. The control system is configured to perform: determining an operational state of the system; detecting a fault in one or more components of the system; classifying the fault with one or more classifications of a plurality of classifications according to heuristics; and imposing a fault reaction state on the system based on the classifications to mitigate the fault. The control system is configured to impose a first fault reaction state for a motion actuation fault and impose a second fault reaction state for a non-motion actuation fault. The first fault reaction state includes controlling the rotation actuator to cause the elongate body to become compliant to external forces placed upon the elongate body by walls of an anatomical passageway.

Abstract: A system may include an ultrasound probe and a controller unit configured to communicate with the ultrasound probe. The controller unit may be further configured to select an aiming mode for the ultrasound probe; select a first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode; select at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode; toggle between obtaining and displaying ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode; receive a selection of a three-dimensional (3D) scan mode; and perform a 3D scan using the ultrasound probe, in response to receiving the selection of the 3D scan mode.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a time gain compensation (TGC) circuit. The TGC circuit includes an impedance network. A differential amplifier is coupled to the impedance network. The differential amplifier includes a first input port, a second input port, a first output port and a second output port. A first feedback resistor is coupled between the first input port and the first output port. A second feedback resistor is coupled between the second input port and the second output port. The impedance network provides a fixed impedance to the differential amplifier when a gain of the TGC circuit is changed from a maximum value to a minimum value.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a CT imaging method of coronary artery and a computer-readable storage medium, the method comprising: generating and outputting a global optimal phase image of a coronary artery; and generating and outputting a local optimal phase image of a particular trunk of the coronary artery based on a trunk selection command.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for trajectory guidance using instrument position data and planned trajectories into or through a patient's body or an object. Lasers are emitted from a laser system toward the patient's body or object at an area within or proximate to the instrument operator's line of sight. Information about the instrument, including the position of its proximal and distal ends, and the position of the patient's body or object, are used to direct the emission of the lasers in real-time during operation of the instrument. The emitted lasers function as visual cues indicating the manner in which to position the distal and proximal ends of the instrument to properly align with the planned trajectory. A guidance map on the instrument can be used to output visual cues about the position of the distal and proximal ends of the instrument relative to a planned trajectory.

Abstract: A surgical navigation system for providing computer-aided surgery. The surgical navigation system includes a handheld surgical tool with computer-aided navigation, an imaging device, an alignment module, and a user interface module. The handheld surgical tool includes at least one sensor for measuring a position of the tool in three dimensions, and at least one set key. A processor and at least one display device are associated with the handheld surgical tool and configured to display a target trajectory of the handheld surgical tool for the surgical procedure.

Abstract: A system (200) performs a medical procedure in a region of interest of a patient. The system includes an interventional medical device (214) insertable into the region of interest, and a sensor (215) attached to a portion of the interventional device, the sensor being configured to convert an ultrasonic wave from an ultrasound imaging probe (211) to a corresponding electrical radio frequency (RF) signal. The corresponding RF signal is received by a wireless receiver (209) outside the region of interest, enabling determination of a location of the sensor within the region of interest.

Abstract: An endoscopy system including a flexible insertion tube, a motion sensing module and a processor is provided. The flexible insertion tube has a central axis. The motion sensing module includes a housing, patterns and sensors. The patterns are disposed at a surface of the flexible insertion tube according to an axial orientation distribution and an angle distribution based on the central axis. The sensors are disposed in the housing and located beside a guiding hole of the housing. The processor is disposed in the housing. During relative motion of the flexible insertion tube with respect to the motion sensing module via the guiding hole, the sensors are configured to sense a motion state of the patterns so as to obtain a motion-state sensing result. The processor determines insertion depth information and insertion tube rotating angle information according to the motion-state sensing result, the axial orientation distribution and the angle distribution.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing remote expert feedback to an operator of an ultrasound imaging machine. The remote feedback consists of graphical icons that are dragged and dropped onto a video stream of the patient being scanned or the ultrasound image being captured and shared in real-time with the local operator to help improve their scanning technique.

Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems, methods, and techniques for correcting for uncommanded instrument roll. A method for adjusting a controller-feedback system in a medical instrument may comprise receiving data from a sensor at or near a distal end of the instrument, determining a tip frame of reference based on the data from the sensor, the tip frame of reference representing a current orientation of the distal end of the instrument, obtaining a desired frame of reference, determining an adjustment to a visual frame of reference or a control frame of reference based on the tip frame of reference and the desired frame of reference, and transforming the visual frame of reference or the control frame of reference.

Abstract: A high-resolution microendoscope system includes a light source, a fiber optic bundle configured to transmit light from the light source to a sample, a disc configured to receive light returned from the sample, the disc having spaced apart segments, the spaced-apart segments being at least one of openings and transparent portions, a first camera configured to capture a first image based at least in part on light passing through the disc, and a second camera configured to capture a second image based at least in part on light reflected from the disc.

Abstract: A robotic assembly comprises a deployment catheter including a steerable distal region and further comprises a balloon assembly coupled to the steerable distal region.

Abstract: Ultrasound image devices, systems, and methods are provided. An intraluminal ultrasound imaging system, comprising a patient interface module (PIM) in communication with an intraluminal imaging device comprising an ultrasound imaging component, the PIM comprising a first reconfigurable logic block including a first plurality of logic elements interconnected by first reconfigurable interconnection elements; a configuration memory coupled to the first reconfigurable logic block; and a processing component coupled to the configuration memory, the processing component configured to detect a device attribute of the intraluminal imaging device in communication with the PIM; and load at least one of a first configuration or a second configuration to the configuration memory based on the detected device attribute to configure one or more of the first reconfigurable interconnection elements such that the first plurality of logic elements are interconnected for communication with the ultrasound imaging component.

Abstract: An optical measurement system includes a wearable module having at least one time-resolved single photon photodetector configured to detect photons from at least one light pulse after the at least one light pulse is scattered by a target within a body of a user; at least one light guide configured to receive the photons and guide the photons to the at least one photodetector; and a housing that houses both the at least one photodetector and at least a portion of the at least one light guide. The optical measurement system further includes a signal processing circuit configured to determine a temporal distribution of the photons detected by the at least one photodetector and generate a histogram based on the temporal distribution of the photons.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an emitter assembly comprising a single electromagnetic radiation source for visualizing a surgical site. The emitter assembly comprises a light valve assembly that is coupled to a control circuit. The emitter assembly is configured to emit visible light, infrared radiation, or a combination thereof in either structured or unstructured formats. The control circuit is configured to control the light valve assembly to control which emitter of the emitter assembly is emitting electromagnetic radiation. The light valve assembly can include light valves for controlling whether an emitter receives electromagnetic radiation. Further, the control circuit can control the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the source in accordance with which emitter is receiving electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of medical imaging in the absence of contrast agents. In one form, the invention relates to the field of imaging vessels, particularly blood vessels such as the pulmonary vasculature and is suitable for use as a technique for detecting pulmonary embolism (PE), such as acute PE. Embodiments of the present invention provide improved image processing techniques having the capability to extract and use image data to overcome the need for contrast agents to distinguish between different types of tissue. Furthermore, it has also been realised that the image data accessed by the improved image processing can be used to identify irregularities in vessels.

Abstract: Ultrasound image devices, systems, and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a method of automated medical examination, comprising receiving, from an imaging device, a first image representative of a subject's body while the imaging device is positioned at a first imaging position with respect to the subject's body; determining a first motion control configuration for repositioning the imaging device from the first imaging position to a second imaging position based on a first predictive network, the first image, and a target image view including a clinical property; and repositioning, by a robotic system coupled to the imaging device, the imaging device to the second imaging position based on the first motion control configuration.