Abstract: A surgical needle comprising: (a) a sensor; (b) a distal tip with the sensor being located at the distal tip; (c) a needle advancing mechanism that is adjustable to change an insertion depth; and (d) a control unit in communication with the needle advancing mechanism; wherein the sensor provides a signal to the control unit regarding a thickness of a feature of interest and the control unit controls the insertion depth based upon the signal from the sensor so that the insertion depth into the feature of interest is varied or the control unit prevents the needle advancing mechanism from activating.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including acquiring 3D image data of a targeted vertebra. A processor indicates the targeted vertebra within the 3D image data. A radiopaque element is positioned on the body of the subject with respect to the spine and a radiographic image is acquired. The processor (a) generates a plurality of 2D projections of the targeted vertebra from the 3D image data, (b) for each vertebra that is visible in the radiographic image, identifies if there exists a 2D projection of the targeted vertebra that matches the radiographic image of the vertebra that is visible, and (c) in response, indicates on the 2D radiographic image the vertebra for which a match with a projection of the targeted vertebra was identified, such that a location of the targeted vertebra is identified with respect to the radiopaque element. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: A microscopy system includes a microscope, a stand configured to mount the microscope and including a drive device configured to move the microscope, a detection device configured to detect a spatial position of a target fastened to a body part or to an instrument, wherein the position detection device includes the target with at least one marker element and an image capture device configured to optically capture the target. The microscopy system further includes at least one control device configured to operate the microscopy system according to the detected position of the target, wherein the position detection device is configured to determine the position of the target by evaluating a two-dimensional image of the image capture device. In addition, a method for operating the microscopy system is provided.

Abstract: fMRI data of a subject brain is accessed and may include a plurality of time-sequenced volumetric images of activity in a subject brain. A plurality of emotion vectors are accessed, each emotion vector tagged with a specified emotional state. From the fMRI data and using the emotion vectors, a plurality of fMRI state vectors are determined at various points in time, where each fMRI state vector is a combination of the emotion vectors and represents the state of the subject brain at a particular point in time. Flow data is determined to identify a trajectory, over time, of the subject brain as reflected by the fMRI data, through a state space defined by the emotion vectors, where the flow data is based at least in part on the fMRI vectors at various points in time. From the flow data, data is generated that shows changes, through time, in at least one emotional state of the brain.

Abstract: An ultrasound image processing apparatus (16) is disclosed comprising a processor arrangement (46, 50) adapted to receive a temporal sequence (15) of ultrasound images (150) of at least a chest region (151) of a fetal entity (62) from an ultrasound probe (14), said chest region including the fetal heart (171), said temporal sequence capturing at least part of a cardiac cycle of the fetal heart; identify the chest region of the fetal entity in one or more of the ultrasound images of said temporal sequence; identify a portion of the spine in the identified chest region; calculate an orientation axis (160) of the fetal chest from the identified chest region and the identified spine portion; identify the septum of the fetal heart as a linear structure which is temporally more stable than its surrounding structures in said temporal sequence of ultrasound images and which defines a region of convergence of the movements of the fetal heart during said cardiac cycle; calculate an orientation axis (170) of the fetal h

Abstract: Robotic systems and methods for the automatic guidance of medical catheters into anatomical structures during various medical procedures are disclosed. A motor controlled insertion mechanism and a motor controlled rotation mechanism are configured to combine catheter insertion and rotation such as to twist the catheter while advancing into the anatomical structure. A navigation-system determines the position in the anatomical structure of a tracking-sensor disposed on the tip of the catheter. The motion of the catheter is controlled via the motors A controller controls, via the motors, the movement of the catheter into the anatomical structure function of the position of the tracking sensor. The methods, systems and devices described herein significantly decrease X-ray exposure to both patient and doctor, minimize friction between the catheter and robotic components, reduce the size of robotic systems, reduce production costs, and reduce the duration of clinical procedures.

Abstract: A surgical navigation system according to one embodiment may comprise: an electromagnetic wave generation unit; a first detection unit attached to a surgical site of an object to detect a position attached to the surgical site; a second detection unit installed in a patient-specific surgical guide instrument inserted into the surgical site to receive the electromagnetic wave and detect the position of the patient-specific surgical guide instrument; a third detection unit installed in the surgical instrument inserted into the surgical site to detect the position of the surgical instrument; an information processing unit for registering the position of the first detection unit and the position of the third detection unit and for tracking the position of the surgical instrument on the basis of the position of the first detection unit attached to the surgical site, by setting the position of the patient-specific surgical guide instrument as a reference position when the patient-specific surgical guide instrument

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system according to the present disclosure may include or be operatively associated with an ultrasound transducer configured to acquire echo signals responsive to ultrasound pulses transmitted toward a medium. The system may include a channel memory configured to store the acquired echo signals, a neural network coupled to the channel memory and configured to receive one or more samples of the acquired echo signals, one or more samples of beamformed signals based on the acquired echo signals, or both, and to provide imaging data based on the one or more samples of the acquired echo signals, the one or more samples of beamformed signals, or both, and may further include a display processor configured to generate an ultrasound image using the imaging data provided by the neural network. The system may further include a user interface configured to display the ultrasound image produced by the display processor.

Abstract: A control device establishes a change in a main magnetic field expected for a respective time instant and based on the established expected change in the main magnetic field, correctively adjusts the main magnetic field and/or a nominal receive frequency of the RF receive coil and/or a transmit frequency for subsequent RF transmit pulses and/or takes the expected change in the main magnetic field into account in the evaluation of the received MR signals. At least for some of the RF transmit pulses, the control device acquires, via a sensor device, a portion of the respective radiofrequency wave supplied to the RF transmit coil. The controller extracts therefrom an oscillation corresponding to a respiratory motion of the patient and based on the variation with time of the extracted oscillation, establishes the change in the main magnetic field expected for the respective time instant.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media are provided for identifying persons who are likely to benefit from a neurosurgical procedure, such as lobectomy, hemispherectomy, lesionectomy, callosotomy, and the like. Measured values of physiological variables may be combined via a multi-variable predictive model. In some embodiments, this may take the form of a multinomial logistic regression classifier. In other embodiments, the evidence-combining may be implemented via a neural network or support vector machine or similar machine learning or classification methods. In an embodiment, a leading indicator of near-term responsiveness to the regimen may be provided to a caregiver, such as a neurologist, and further may be integrated with case-management software and an electronic health record decision-support system.

Abstract: An automatic extraction of disease-specific features from Doppler images to help diagnose valvular diseases is provided. The method includes the steps of obtaining a raw Doppler image from a series of images of an echocardiogram, isolating a region of interest from the raw Doppler image, the region of interest including a Doppler image and an ECG signal, and depicting at least one heart cycle, determining a velocity envelope of the Doppler image in the region of interest, extracting the ECG signal to synchronize the ECG signal with the Doppler image over the at least one heart cycle, within the region of interest, calculating a value of a clinical feature based on the extracted ECG signal synchronized with the velocity envelope, and comparing the value of the clinical feature with clinical guidelines associated with the clinical feature to determine a diagnosis of a disease.

Abstract: A medical image diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes an imager, a storage, and processing circuitry. The storage stores therein a correspondence relationship between each of disease patterns and scans used for performing a differential diagnosis process on the disease pattern. The processing circuitry obtains, based on image data acquired by a first scan, a disease pattern having a possibility of being applicable to the subject and a first index value indicating a degree of applicability of the disease pattern. The processing circuitry outputs information indicating the disease pattern to a display when it is possible to perform the differential diagnosis process based on the first index value and outputs an imaging condition used for performing a second scan based on the correspondence relationship and the disease pattern having the possibility when it is not possible to perform the differential diagnosis process based on the first index value.

Abstract: A system is provided for scanning organs in a human body, preferably a human's cardiovascular system more preferably the heart and other arteries. The system includes an extracorporeal opto-acoustic scanning device for scanning from outside of the body and optionally in correlation to inside optic imaging Both comprise a laser or other opto acoustic light and a transducer. The laser being arranged to emit laser pulses towards and/or into the organ system and the transducer being arranged to detect acoustic waves received back from the organ system for imaging the scanned tissue.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes: a high voltage power source; a transmission circuit to receive power from the high voltage power source, generate a pulse generating an ultrasound wave, and apply the ultrasound wave to a probe in the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus; a power circuit to receive the power from the high voltage power source and charge a capacitor with electric energy when the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus operates in a shear wave mode, and supply, to the transmission circuit, shear wave mode power used for generating a shear wave, based on the electric energy; and a processor to control the power circuit to supply the shear wave mode power when the shear wave mode is in operation, and control the high voltage power source and the power circuit such that insufficient power of the shear wave mode power is supplied from the high voltage power source to the transmission circuit.

Abstract: Provided is a medical imaging apparatus including a storage configured to store training data and an optimization coefficient; at least one processor configured to identify at least one image feature value from an input medical image, and to identify a value of at least one parameter of the medical imaging apparatus, based on the at least one image feature value and the optimization coefficient, by using a neural network processor; an output interface configured to output a resultant image generated based on the value of the at least one parameter; and an input interface configured to receive a first control input of adjusting the value of the at least one parameter, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to update the optimization coefficient by performing training using the training data and the first control input.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to expandable tissue cavity markers and corresponding systems and deployment methods. In one embodiment, an expandable tissue cavity marker comprises a pouch and at least one radiopaque marker element. The pouch can transition between a compressed state, in which a profile or dimension of the tissue cavity marker is reduced such that the tissue cavity marker can be deployed through a minimally invasive surgical procedure incision, and an expanded state, in which a profile or dimension of the tissue cavity marker is increased such that the tissue cavity marker fills or defines a volume of a tissue cavity. In one embodiment, the pouch can be transformed between the compressed state and the expanded state by delivery of a fill material into the pouch. The pouch can comprise one or more functional materials in embodiments, including materials that provide an anti-infection, hemostasis, anti-migration, medicinal, or other function to the tissue cavity marker.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe comprising a housing, a first ultrasonic transducer array, a second ultrasonic transducer array, a first light source, and a second light source. The first ultrasonic transducer array is coupled to the housing and configured to emit a first planar ultrasonic beam in a first direction within a first plane. The second ultrasonic transducer array is coupled to the housing and configured to emit a second planar ultrasonic beam in the first direction within a second plane, which is substantially perpendicular to the first plane. The first light source is coupled to the housing and configured to project a first light line substantially within the first plane. The second light source is coupled to the housing and configured to project a second light line within a third plane, which is substantially perpendicular to the first plane and intersects the second plane at an oblique angle. The first light line intersects and is substantially perpendicular to the second light line.

Abstract: Provided are a physiological signal analysis device and method to detect and analyze physiological information of a subject. The physiological signal analysis device includes a memory device configure to store a wrinkle pattern at a measurement position of a subject as a reference position; a sensor configured to sense the reference position and a physiological signal of the subject at the reference position in response to the stored reference position being within a range of the sensor; and a signal processor configured to process the physiological signal sensed the sensor.

Abstract: In an example, physiological signal(s) are received from physiological sensor(s) configured to measure at least one physiological property of a user. An arousal of at least one characteristic of at least one treatment resistant mood disorder is detected through employment of an estimation method based at least in part on at least one of the physiological signal(s). A value for at least one of a plurality of stimulation parameters is selected based at least in part on at least one of the physiological signal(s). An electric field based at least in part on the arousal is produced. The electric field is configured to stimulate at least a portion of a median nerve of the user transcutaneously. The electric field is based at least in part on at least some of the plurality of stimulation parameters.

Abstract: A location tracking system maps anatomical structures in a first coordinate system, in a fixed position within a medical imaging system, which captures 3D images in a second coordinate system. The 3D images are converted to and stored in a standardized format in a third coordinate system in accordance with a first coordinate transformation. A first 3D image captured by the imaging system is registered with the first coordinate system so as to produce a second coordinate transformation. The first and second coordinate transformations are combined so as to derive a third coordinate transformation between the first and third coordinate systems. A second 3D image of a body of a subject, captured by the imaging system, is processed in order to extract image features in the third coordinate system. The extracted image features are joined with location data captured by the location tracking system by applying the third coordinate transformation.