Abstract: An apparatus and a method for determining the position of a medical instrument, particularly for the purpose of medical navigation. In order to use a simple system to provide a relatively inexpensive technique for determining positional information, the position and/or orientation of the medical instrument is determined by ascertaining the same on the basis of position finding operations. Electromagnetic fields are first measured and the results of relative field strength measurements are taken as a basis for ascertaining the direction of a line from a transmitter to a receiver. After this direction information is known, it is used to determine the positional information of the medical instrument.

Abstract: Transmit power is adaptively set in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging. The relative strength, such as a ratio, of harmonic and fundamental responses is calculated. This relative strength is used to set the transmit power. The transmit power may be set following ALARA while providing enough information for harmonic imaging.

Abstract: Provided are an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and method for analyzing a contrast enhanced ultrasound image. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and method determine, by analysis, causes of defects in a frame of an ultrasound image based on a time intensity curve and allow visual display of the defective frame based on the determined causes. Furthermore, the ultrasound diagnosis method and apparatus may provide a user interface for quick access to causes of defects in a frame of the ultrasound image and to a position of the defective frame.

Abstract: A method for locating a vessel, the method comprising illuminating at least a portion of the vessel with a background light having a substantially high susceptibility to absorption by particles in said portion of the vessel; detecting backscattered light from said illuminated portion of the vessel; reproducing an image from said backscattered light; and identifying dark regions within said reproduced image.

Abstract: In part, the disclosure relates to computer-based methods, devices, and systems suitable for detecting a delivery catheter using intravascular data. In one embodiment, the delivery catheter is used to position the intravascular data collection probe. The probe can collect data suitable for generating one or more representations of a blood vessel with respect to which the delivery catheter can be detected.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a partial skull replacement consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and a method of monitoring biological tissues within a skull using the partial skull replacement. The method of monitoring using the partial skull replacement of the present invention has a minimal influence on intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid flow as compared to a conventional cranial window technique using glass, and, by way of visualizing biological tissues within a skull with enhanced clarity, is expected to be usefully employed as a method of monitoring biological tissues within the skull.

Abstract: A system and method for planning surgical procedure including a treatment zone setting view presenting at least one slice of a 3D reconstruction generated from CT image data including a target. The treatment zone setting view presenting a treatment zone marker defining a location and a size of a treatment zone and configured to adjust the treatment zone marker in response to a received user input. The system and method further including a volumetric view presenting a 3D volume derived from the 3D reconstruction and a 3D representation of the treatment zone marker relative to structures depicted in the 3D volume.

Abstract: A high-intensity focused ultrasound is configured such that a disposable separable cartridge is attached to and detached from the ultrasound device, so that a practitioner, i.e. a doctor, can obtain coordinates of a skin tissue of a subject using a scanner of an ultrasonic transducer and locate an accurate procedure point in real time. A procedure can be performed on the accurate procedure point of the skin tissue without repeated procedures.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an X-ray diagnostic apparatus generating an X-ray image in a region of interest, includes a radiography device and processing circuitry. The radiography device takes a first X-ray image before injection of a contrast medium, and takes a second X-ray image and a third X-ray image after injection of the contrast medium. The processing circuitry generates an output image having pixel values that are ratios of pixel values between a difference between the second X-ray image and the first X-ray image and a difference between the third X-ray image and the first X-ray image.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present application discloses systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of coronary arteries. In various embodiments, the invention allows for motion corrected, simultaneously acquired multiple contrast weighted images with whole-heart coverage and isotropic high resolution. In some embodiments, the invention teaches using interleaved preparatory pulses, a 3D radial golden angle trajectory and 100% respiratory gating efficiency.

Abstract: A data creation unit of an X-ray diagnosis apparatus that irradiates a treatment target part of a subject with an X-ray and displays the image data of a transmitted X-ray thereon includes a catheter tip detection unit that detects a catheter tip based on the image data, a tip position information storage unit that stores therein position information of the catheter tip for at least one heartbeat based on a detection result of the catheter tip detection unit as transfer trace information, and a support data creation unit that superimposes the transfer trace information onto the present image data to create support data for catheter treatment.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic device includes an ultrasound probe including ultrasound transducers that transmit ultrasound toward an imaging subject, receive ultrasound reflected from the imaging subject, and output ultrasound detection signals; an alteration unit that alters a transmission frequency of the transmitted ultrasound or a reception frequency of the received ultrasound, from a frequency for converting amplitudes, of the ultrasound detection signals outputted from the ultrasound probe, into an intensity distribution of brightnesses and displaying the distribution, to a frequency for carrying out diagnosis of tissue characteristics; and a calculation unit that calculates an index for diagnosing tissue characteristics, based on a relationship between received signals, at a time when the transmission frequency or the reception frequency is altered to a frequency at which diagnosis of tissue characteristics is carried out, at two or more different ultrasound transducers at the ultrasound probe.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic device includes: a probe including a plurality of elements; a transmission unit that transmits an ultrasonic beam by performing transmission focusing in a first direction from the plurality of elements; a reception unit that generates element data by processing reception signals output from the plurality of elements that has received an ultrasonic echo generated by the transmitted ultrasonic beam; an element data processing unit that generates reflection component removal data by removing a reflection component generated from the first direction from the element data; an image generation unit that generates an ultrasonic image by performing reception focusing for the element data; and a control unit that controls the image generation unit to generate an image signal along a second direction different from the first direction by performing reception focusing in the second direction for the reflection component removal data generated by the element data processing unit.

Abstract: A method is described for determination of an initialization time point of imaging of a region of interest of an object to be examined. A slice of the object is selected for bolus-tracking images in which the flow of a fluid flowing toward the region of interest is observable. A plurality of bolus-tracking images of the slice is taken. Time-density curves are determined based upon intensity values assigned to the individual image points acquired in the plurality of bolus-tracking images for the selected slice. Individual image points are divided into groups according to similarity of time-density curves assigned to the individual image points. Finally, the time at which an intensity value assigned to one of the groups exceeds a threshold value is determined. Also described are a method for carrying out the imaging of a region of interest; an initialization time point determination device; and a computed tomography system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for imaging and detecting the biofield of a living subject are provided. A biofield detection system can include a number of features, including a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging system, a fluid container configured to hold a fluid and the living subject, and a fluid management system configured to enhance a coherence of the fluid volume. The biofield detection system can implement a biofield detection scheme that compares a baseline NMR image of the fluid in the absence of the subject to a NMR image of the fluid surrounding the subject. The two images can be compared and analyzed to detect variances relating to field effects of the subject. Systems and methods are also provided in which environmental factors can be introduced to the fluid volume or the living subject. Subsequent detection scans can detect changes in the biofield based on the introduction of environmental factors.

Abstract: A pressure sensor comprises an optical source configured to illuminate the tissue of a user, and an optical sensor configured to measure reflected illumination from the tissue. A compute system is configured to output a pressure between a surface of the optical sensor and the tissue as a function of the measured reflected illumination.

Abstract: A marker loading assembly for transferring an elongated positioning marker from a loader needle of said assembly into an insertion needle of a medical insertion device, the marker loading assembly comprises an elongated hollow housing having a manoeuvring end and a marker transfer end, and a loader needle mounted within said loading assembly along a longitudinal axis of said assembly, said loader needle being adapted to receive and hold said positioning marker until the positioning marker is transferred to said insertion needle, a transfer opening provided at the marker transfer end and being adapted to receive a distal end of the insertion needle, said transfer opening being provided with a shape gradually opening up in a direction away from said manoeuvring end, and said transfer opening at its narrow end leading to a transfer channel arranged along said longitudinal axis, and wherein the transfer channel has a circular cross-sectional shape having a diameter slightly larger than an outer diameter of the in

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a boundary condition estimate. The boundary condition estimate includes at least an estimated outlet resistance of a vessel with a stenosis. The method further includes correcting the boundary condition estimate based on a severity of the stenosis, thereby creating a corrected boundary condition. The method further includes determining an FFR index based on the corrected boundary condition. The method further includes displaying the FFR index. A computing system includes a computer readable storage medium with instructions that iteratively determine at least an FFR index based on a severity of a stenosis of a vessel. The computing system further includes a computer processor that processes the instructions and generates the FFR index based on the severity of the stenosis of the vessel.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic device includes an ultrasound probe including plural ultrasound transducers that transmit ultrasound toward an imaging subject, receive ultrasound reflected from the imaging subject, and output ultrasound detection signals; an alteration unit that alters transmission frequencies of the ultrasound transmitted from the ultrasound probe or reception frequencies of the ultrasound received by the ultrasound probe; and a calculation unit that calculates an index for diagnosing a tissue characteristic based on a relationship between reception signals of at least two different ultrasound transducers for at least two different frequencies of the transmission frequencies or reception frequencies altered by the alteration unit.

Abstract: A Radio-Therapy (RT) system includes an integrated radiation source and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system that implements a method for providing a variable imaging Field Of View (FOV). The FOV can be tailored for various RT-specific applications such as, but not limited to, patient setup verification and real-time tumor tracking, for example, as well as for various imaging volumes of interest.