Abstract: An extracorporeal lithotriptor has a shock wave head which includes a shock wave generator which generates shock waves to disintegrate calculi in situ, and components for coupling the generated shock wave to the patient. The lithotriptor also includes an x-ray system for locating a calculus to be disintegrated. The x-radiator for the x-ray system and the shock wave head are arranged relative to each other so that a central x-ray of the x-ray system proceeds substantially centrally through the shock wave head. The shock wave head can be arranged either at the housing of the primary radiation diaphragm for the x-ray system, or in front of the input luminescent screen of an x-ray image intensifier. The shock wave head has a central region which is penetrated by x-rays and which does not attenuate the x-rays.

Abstract: An ultrasonic wound cleaning device having an annular transducer, an axial bore extends through the annular transducer through which liquid admixed with modifying agents can flow towards a surface to be treated. A handle, a cleaning head, and a collecting cone are arranged respectively to the transducer so that cleaning liquid can flow through the axial bore, into the collecting cone, through the cleaning applicator head, where the liquid containing ultrasonic energy is brought into intimate contact with the wound and causes unwanted matter to be dislodged and washed from the wound and suspended in the liquid, and the loosened matter subsequently is flushed out of and away from the wound. The invention further comprehends preparation of human bone whereby joint replacement with a prosthesis can be carried out in a more sophisticated manner than has heretofore been possible.

Abstract: An extracorporeal lithotripsy apparatus includes a shock waves source which generates shock wave along an acoustic axis in a propagation direction, with the shock waves being caused to converge, either by a curvature of the shock wave source or by the use of a separate focusing element, at a focus region, the lithotripsy apparatus being initially positioned so that a calculus to be disintegrated is coincident with the focus region. During treatment, the calculus may be displaced from its original, identified position by patient movement, such as due to respiration.

Abstract: An apparatus for disintegrating calculi in body of a life form comprises at least one shockwave generator having a chamber filled with a liquid as a coupling agent and includes a liquid circulation system having a container with a circulating pump. The liquid circulation system has a small circulation portion for normal operation and a remainder portion which includes a container for receiving the liquid and for degassifying the liquid. The small circulation portion includes a circulating pump as well as a cooler and/or a bubble separator. The portions of the system are interconnected by lines having valves so that during the step of filling, the small portion is in communication with the container, and during a step of draining of the system, the small portion and container are drained simultaneously.

Abstract: A method of determining in vivo an estimate of the modulus of elasticity of a bone. The method including the steps of applying an ultrasound beam to a limb from a transmitting transducer to a receiving transducer, and then measuring the flight times, T.sub.s for an ultrasound beam along a first path through the cortex of the bone, and T.sub.m along a second path through the cortex and medulla of said bone. After performing these steps, the method calculates the diameter X of the bone from the external diameter of the limb minus a predetermined constant allowing for skin and flesh, calculates the apparent velocity C.sub.a from X divided by T.sub.s, calculates the mean velocity V from X divided by T.sub.m, and calculates the cortical bone velocity C.sub.bE from a predetermined function f multiplied by C.sub.a. Next, the method determines a ratio R for the diameter of the medulla to the diameter of the cortex and then estimates the cross-sectional area CSA.sub.

Abstract: An apparatus to remove an obstruction from the trachea of a choking victim comprises a hollow cylinder having a forward end. A piston is movably disposed within the cylinder and forms a chamber at the forward end of the cylinder. The piston is movable by means of a compressed spring disposed within the chamber of the cylinder. A mask is connected to the cylinder and adapted to form a seal around the mouth of the victim. An airway leads from the chamber to the mask. In use, the mask is placed over a choking victim's mouth and the spring is released causing rearward movement of the piston. This expands the chamber and reduces the pressure within the chamber and person's mouth, thereby drawing the obstruction out of the trachea.

Abstract: A lithotripsy work station having a patient support table and an adjustable mounting arrangement for the shockwave generator which has a coupling chamber with a membrane for coupling the shockwave generator to the patient characterized by the mounting arrangement positioning the shockwave generator directly above the patient supporting table. The shockwave generator can be mounted by a holder which rotates around a vertical axis above the patient supporting table so that a longitudinal axis of the generator can be aligned to intersect with the vertical axis roughly through the center of the patient supporting table. The mounting means can also be a separate holder which is movable in a horizontal direction that is secured to a ceiling in the room or is on a unit movable on the floor. In each of the embodiments, the shockwave generator can be mounted by an adjustable mechanism that allows changing the angle between the vertical axis and the longitudinal axis of the generator.

Abstract: An apparatus worn by a patient to provide a geometric reference for medical diagnostic data obtained from the patient has an element rigidly attachable to the patient, this element being connected to other components which emit a known and recognizable signal during the acquisition of medical diagnostic data, those components being used to establish a geometric reference for the data obtained from the patient. In one embodiment, a bite-down plate having a shape corresponding to the dentition of the patient is held in the mouth of the patient, and is connected to a rigid carrier having markings for geometrically referencing a tomographic image. In another embodiment, the worn element is a rigid ring worn by the patient as a headband, having a number of length-variable indicators, each of which having a scale, and also being connected to a member having a recognizable shape, or having markings, for a reference in tomographic imaging.

Abstract: An unique external averaging system for reducing the coherence of acquired data used for magnetic resonance imaging. The averaging is done after the acquisition of substantially complete matrices of data.

Abstract: NMR imaging data are acquired using a variable phase-encoding gradient. NMR non-imaging data are acquired using fixed phase-encoding, and motion data are derived from such NMR non-imaging data. Gating data are extracted from the motion data and used to select from the NMR imaging data to produce gated image data. The gated image data are used to produce a reconstructed image.

Abstract: A system for automatically determining the outline of a selected anatomical feature or region (e.g., in a slice of magnetic resonance data) and then making a quantitative determination of a morphometric parameter (such as area or volume) associated with the feature. A volumetric measurement of the feature is made by determining for each slice the areas within the outline for the feature and summing the areas for all the slices; the outlines are based on intensity contours, where the intensity of the contour is intermediate that within and outside of the feature; the intermediate intensity is chosen objectively based on a histogram of intensity levels; interpolation is used to assign contour locations in areas where the intensity of the contour is not present exactly; the accuracy of the outline is improved using an edge-optimization procedure in which the outline is shifted transversely to the location at which an estimate of the derivative (e.g.

Abstract: An ultrasound generator and emitter suitable for use in ultrasound therapy has an electrical signal generator for charging an ultrasound resonator in an ultrasound head with electrical signals, which are converted into ultrasound energy to be emitted. The ultrasound head also includes an adapter element which electrically matches the particular ultrasound head being used to the electrical signal generator. The adapter is in the form of a removable adapter element which is electrically matched to the ultrasound resonator. The adapter element can be easily plugged into and removed from a circuit board in the ultrasound head. When the ultrasound resonator is replaced, the adapter element can be easily interchanged with an adapter element for matching the new ultrasound resonator to the signal generator.

Abstract: A shock wave source for an extracorporeal lithotripsy system has a number of electro-acoustic transducers arranged in a concave surface, each transducer having an acoustic axis, and the shock wave source having an acoustic axis. The transducers are each pivotally mounted, and a common adjusting element is provided which pivots each of the transducers so that their acoustic axes intersect at a focus, which lies on the acoustic axis of the shock wave source. The common element also permits adjustment of the location of the focus along the shock wave source acoustic axis so as to be more distal or more proximate relative to the shock wave source.

Abstract: A procedure for targeting body cavity stones for shockwave treatment including positioning a target-defining catheter mounted balloon adjacent a stone, inflating the balloon with air, focusing a shockwave generator by ultrasound on the target balloon and area immediately adjacent thereto, and deflating the target balloon.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method imposes void planes on tissue to be imaged, which may form a grid pattern of lines which, when later imaged, produces a reference void in the image. This is especially useful in studies of the heart where the contraction and relaxation of the heart can thus be measured. Also for static tissue the method is useful for radiation therapy port planning. The grid reference or void planes are formed by a simple use of an RF pulse in conjunction with the use of a slice select gradient which provides sufficient power so that those protons in the grid are saturated so that in the later imaging step there will be significant spin echo signal difference between the grid imposed areas and the remaining regions of the tissue.

Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance device for use in diagnostic procedures on the uman body is provided and comprises longitudinally extending cylindrical or rectangular crossectioned rare earths permanent magnets provided with cladding magnets extending longitudinally therewith and providing flux control for the establishment of a uniform flux field. Bucking magnets and other supplemental magnetic elements are provided to as precisely as possible control the magnetic flux field effected for the diagnostic procedures.

Abstract: An ultrasound brain lesioning system with ultrasound, CT or MRI site localization includes a skull fixation apparatus, a position data translating fixture and a computer-controlled ultrasound transducer. The skull fixation apparatus is utilized in combination with ultrasound, CT or MRI scan transparencies and with a digitizing tablet in order to transfer transparency data both as to skull fixation benchmarks and tumor locations into a computer. The transducer is cooperatively arranged with the translating system such that the benchmarks of the skull fixation apparatus are utilized to derive X, Y and Z linear coordinates and two rotary coordinates which are at right angles to one another which are also input into the computer such that the computer is then capable of automatically driving the transducer and positioning it at the appropriate location for producing volume lesions in the brain at the site of the identified brain tumors or other selected tissues.

Abstract: The invention relates to a defibrillator system having means for transferring electrical energy coupled to tranvenously implantable cardiac leads and methods for transvenous implantation. The cardiac lead has an elongated first member having a tip on one end thereof, an implantable object coupled to the first member, such as a defibrillator electrode, expandable from a collapsed position to an extended position generally away from the lead and means for expanding the object from the collapsed position to the extended position. The transvenous implantation method of the present invention involves entering a vein of a patient, translating through the vein to the patient's cardium atrium, puncturing the atrial lateral wall and forming a hole therein, exiting the atrium through the hole to the pericardial space and inserting the object into the pericardial space.

Abstract: A pulsed power supply for providing power to a piezoelectric crystal. The power supply provides power to the piezoelectric crystal causing contraction of the crystal. Upon reaching a predetermined degree of contraction, the electrical voltage form the power supply is removed from the piezoelectric crystal by creating a short-circuit between the power supply and the crystal. Removal of electrical voltage from the crystal causes the immediate expansion of the crystal and a resulting energy wave.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a fiducial implant for the human body that is detectable by an imaging system. The invention is comprised of a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to be detected by an imaging system when placed beneath the skin. The second portion is configured for fixed attachment to a bone beneath the skin without penetrating entirely through the bone and without fracturing the bone. The first portion is of detectable size and comprised of a material for detection by an imaging system, and sufficiently small to avoid the distortion of the skin when placed at an interface between the skin and the bone. The first portion also has at least a portion which is spherical and defines a surface for cooperating with a tool for securing the second portion to the bone. Additionally, the placement of n fiducial implants, where n.gtoreq.