Abstract: A method for needle positioning for lead implantation for sacral neuromodulation uses fluoroscopy to locate anatomical landmarks. Markings on the skin of the patient are made to determine optimal positioning of a foramen needle used to position the leads and electrodes of an implantable electrical stimulator.

Abstract: A method for predicting clinical severity of a neurological disorder includes steps of: a) identifying, according to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image of a brain, brain image regions each of which contains a respective portion of diffusion index values of a diffusion index, which results from image processing performed on the MRI image; b) for one of the brain image regions, calculating a characteristic parameter based on the respective portion of the diffusion index values; and c) calculating a severity score that represents the clinical severity of the neurological disorder of the brain based on the characteristic parameter of the one of the brain image regions via a prediction model associated with the neurological disorder.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a method of applying ultrasonic energy to a treatment site within a patient's vasculature comprises positioning an ultrasound radiating member at a treatment site within a patient's vasculature. The method further comprises activating the ultrasound radiating member to produce pulses of ultrasonic energy at a cycle period T?1 second. The acoustic parameters such as peak power, pulse width, pulse repetition frequency and frequency or any combination of them can be varied non-linearly.

Abstract: An ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasonic image acquisitor that acquires an ultrasonic image generated on the basis of a reception signal obtained by an ultrasonic probe that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from a subject; an identification result acquisitor that acquires, by inputting the ultrasonic image acquired to any of a plurality of identifiers that identifies an identification target object captured in an input ultrasonic image, an identification result output from the identifier; and a hardware processor that changes the identifier to which the ultrasonic image acquired is input.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system for needle insertion guidance uses a curved array transducer to scan an image field with unsteered beams as a needle is inserted into the image field. Due to differences in the angle of incidence between the radially directed beams and the needle, echoes will return most strongly from only a section of the needle. This section is identified in an image, and the angle of incidence producing the strongest returns is identified. Beams with this optimal angle of incidence are then steered in parallel from the curved array transducer to produce the best needle image. The steep steering angles of some of the steered beams can give rise to side lobe clutter artifacts, which can be identified and removed from the image data using dual apodization processing of the image data.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides using ultrasound technology and artificial intelligence to enhance MSR assessment by making the assessment more objective, reproducible, and recordable to allow a more precise and/or personalized approach to the medical practice of individual patients via using multiple ultrasound functions and artificial intelligence to improve the accuracy and consistency of assessing reflexes and allowing MSR data to be combined with other patient medical information for improved diagnosis and management of a patient's condition.

Abstract: An acoustic transduction unit is provided including: a first electrode on a base substrate, a support pattern on a side of the first electrode distal to the base substrate, a vibrating diaphragm pattern surrounded by the support pattern, the first electrode and the vibrating diaphragm pattern and on a side of the support pattern distal to the first electrode; and a second electrode on a side of the vibrating diaphragm pattern distal to the first electrode and opposite to the first electrode; and a first dielectric pattern at the bottom of the vibrating cavity; wherein a thickness of the first dielectric pattern gradually increases from a first vertex to an edge of the first dielectric pattern; and/or, a second dielectric pattern at the top of the vibrating cavity; wherein a thickness of the second dielectric pattern gradually increases from a second vertex to an edge of the second dielectric pattern.

Abstract: Systems and methods for applying ultrasound sonication to temporarily disrupt a patient's blood-brain barrier (BBB) include storing threshold values of an acoustic response level, an acoustic response dose and a tissue response dose associated with a target BBB region and its surrounding regions based on anatomical characteristics thereof; causing the ultrasound transducer to transmit one or more pulses/waves; measuring the acoustic response level, the acoustic response dose, and/or the tissue response dose associated with the target BBB region and/or its surrounding regions; comparing the measurement with a corresponding stored threshold value; and operating the transducer based at least in part on the comparison.

Abstract: An image-based approach of calibrating an ultrasound-probe is described, wherein at least two ultrasound-images which cross each other are acquired with a tracked ultrasound probe, and wherein the intersection areas of these images, which have been calculated on the basis of the tracked spatial position of the ultrasound probe are checked for similar image content. The grade of similarity gives an indication as to how well the ultrasound probe is calibrated.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for analyzing and evaluating image data of a subject. The image data can be collected with an imaging system in a selected manner and/or motion. More than one projection may be combined to generate and create a selected view of the subject. The evaluation may be a location determination of a member positioned within the subject.

Abstract: A medical imaging system comprises a teleoperational assembly which includes a medical instrument including an instrument tip and an imaging instrument including an imaging instrument tip. The medical imaging system also comprises a processing unit including one or more processors. The processing unit may be configured to determine an instrument tip position for the instrument tip, determine an instrument tip position error relative to the imaging instrument, and determine at least one instrument tip bounding volume based on the determined instrument tip position, the determined instrument tip position error, and a ratio between an error radius of the instrument tip position error and a size of a display screen.

Abstract: The present invention provides a removable optical imaging device cap for use with a near infrared (NIR) light optical imaging device for detecting intracranial hematoma.

Abstract: A system for MRI is provided. The system may obtain a plurality of sets of under-sampled k-space data corresponding to a plurality of frames. Each set of under-sampled k-space data may be acquired simultaneously from a plurality of slice locations of a subject in one of the frames using an MRI scanner. The system may reconstruct a plurality of reference slice images based on the sets of under-sampled k-space data of the plurality of frames. Each of the reference slice images may be representative of one of the slice locations in more than one frame of the frames. The system may further reconstruct a plurality of image series based on the sets of under-sampled k-space data and the reference slice images. Each image series may correspond to one of the slice locations and include a plurality of slice images of the corresponding slice location in the plurality of frames.

Abstract: A system for deploying needles in tissue includes a controller and a visual display. A treatment probe has both a needle and tines deployable from the needle which may be advanced into the tissue. The treatment probe also has adjustable stops which control the deployed positions of both the needle and the tines. The adjustable stops are coupled to the controller so that the virtual treatment and safety boundaries resulting from the treatment can be presented on the visual display prior to actual deployment of the system.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate the reduction of both radio frequency (RF) noise and photoacoustic artefacts in differential photoacoustic radar imaging through a multi-step electrical and optical domain calibration method. An example two-step calibration method involves reducing RF image noise via an initial calibration step that involves the control of the relative amplitudes and phases of electrical driving modulation waveforms, while a second calibration step involves the differential suppression of photoacoustic artefact signals via tuning, in the optical domain, of the relative intensity the optical beams that are delivered to the sample. Another example embodiment involves the use of the standard deviation of the unwrapped phase that is obtained, after performing frequency-domain cross-correlation and an inverse transform to the time domain, to improve the amplitude signal that is employed to generate a differential photoacoustic radar image.

Abstract: A method includes implanting an implantable biosensor within a subject where the implantable biosensor has an array of light sources and an array of light detectors, activating the array of light sources to direct light signals at a targeted tissue site in the subject, capturing, with the light detectors, the light signals reflected off the targeted site, calculating a roundtrip propagation time for each of the light signals and comparing the roundtrip propagation time for each of the light signals against previous calculated respective roundtrip propagation times to determine an occurrence of a change in the targeted tissue site.

Abstract: An asymmetric magnet for use in performing MRI of a patient's head. The magnet has a patient end. The magnet provides an offset imaging volume (35) in a recess with an isocentre that is positioned closer to the patient end than an opposite end. The magnet has at least three groups of coils (44, 45, 46) in a generally tapering arrangement. The magnet also has an additional group of coils (47). A first group of coils (44) overlaps the additional group of coils (47), such that a bottom portion (47?) of the additional group of coils (47) is positioned closer to the patient end of the magnet than a top portion (44?) of the first group of coils (44).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for recording medical images of the human body or that of an animal. The method includes scanning for acquiring data and signaling the start and/or end of a manual administration of a contrast medium in temporal relation to the scan for acquiring data.

Abstract: A system and method for remote ultrasonic scanning and informational imaging for neoplasia are provided having a portable ultrasonic transducer integrated with summation software capable of producing a three-dimensional data set. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: The present invention provides devices for characterizing regions of tissue and methods for using the same. The devices are capable of locating, identifying, and characterizing tissue regions of interest in vivo. In one embodiment, the devices are ultrasound-guided. In one embodiment, the devices use characterize regions of tissue using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) sensors. In one aspect, the devices are useful in predicting plaque rupture, such as by determining the level of oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and macrophage/foam cells present in an atheroma. In one aspect, the devices are useful in identifying metabolically active atherosclerotic lesions that are angiographically invisible.