Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein include determining, during ultrasound imaging, that an anatomical region is clipped by a field of view of an ultrasound image, and providing a notification, during the ultrasound imaging, that the anatomical region is clipped by the field of view of the ultrasound image. Aspects of the technology described herein also include determining that an anatomical region is clipped by a field of view of at least one ultrasound image collected during a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging sweep, and providing a notification that the anatomical region is clipped by the field of view of the at least one ultrasound image collected during the three-dimensional ultrasound imaging sweep.

Abstract: A tunable implant, system, and method enables a tunable implant to be adjusted within a patient. The tunable implant includes a securing mechanism to secure the implant in the patient, a actuation portion that enables the implant to move and an adjustment portion that permits adjustment of the implant after the implant has been positioned within the patient. The method of adjusting the tunable implant includes analyzing the operation of the implant, determining if any adjustments are necessary and adjusting the implant to improve implant performance. The implant system includes both the tunable implant and a telemetric system that is operable to telemetrically receive data from the tunable implant where the data is used to determine if adjustment of the tunable implant is necessary. The system also includes an instrument assembly that is used for performing spinal surgery where the instrument assembly includes a mounting platform and a jig.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system produces more diagnostic cardiac images of the left ventricle by plotting the longitudinal medial axis of the chamber between the apex and mitral valve plane as a curved line evenly spaced between the opposite walls of the myocardium. Transverse image planes are positioned orthogonal to the curved medial axis with control points positioned in the short axis view on lines evenly spaced around and emanating from the medial axis. If the short axis view is of an oval shaped chamber the transverse image is stretched to give the heart a more rounded appearance resulting in better positioning of editing control points.

Abstract: Ultrasound beamformer-based channel data compression allows for software-based image formation. To increase the amount of data transferred, ultrasound beamformer-based channel data compression is provided. A beamformer is used to compress instead of or in addition to traditional beamformation. The compression reduces the data bandwidth while allowing reconstruction of the original channel data.

Abstract: A tunable implant, system, and method enables a tunable implant to be adjusted within a patient. The tunable implant includes a securing mechanism to secure the implant in the patient, a actuation portion that enables the implant to move and an adjustment portion that permits adjustment of the implant after the implant has been positioned within the patient. The method of adjusting the tunable implant includes analyzing the operation of the implant, determining if any adjustments are necessary and adjusting the implant to improve implant performance. The implant system includes both the tunable implant and a telemetric system that is operable to telemetrically receive data from the tunable implant where the data is used to determine if adjustment of the tunable implant is necessary. The system also includes an instrument assembly that is used for performing spinal surgery where the instrument assembly includes a mounting platform and a jig.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media related to a tool for determining presence or absence of a neurological condition in a subject are provided. The tool includes an ultrasound device configured to collect ultrasound data from a head of the subject. The tool further includes a processing circuit configured to calculate a curvature metric based on the ultrasound data. The processing circuit is further configured to calculate a velocity asymmetry metric based on the ultrasound data. The tool is further configured to determine presence or absence of the neurological condition in the subject based on the curvature metric and the velocity asymmetry metric.

Abstract: For quantitative ultrasound imaging with a medical diagnostic ultrasound scanner, muscle tissue is scanned in order to determine the state of contraction. Once the desired state is identified, then QUS imaging is triggered to quantify or measure a tissue property while the muscle is in the desired state. The values of the tissue property at a known state of contraction may be more diagnostically useful or informative. Comparisons of the tissue property across time and/or location may more accurately reflect diagnostic information due to the triggering.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a method for driving an ultrasonic transducer. The method includes coupling a driving electrode and a ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer to a power supply and a ground, respectively, during a first time period based on a received drive signal. The method further includes decoupling the driving electrode and the ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer from the power supply and the ground, respectively, to float the driving electrode and the ground electrode of the ultrasonic transducer during a second time period based on the received drive signal to store a charge between the driving electrode to the ground electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a high resolution intravascular ultrasound imaging system including a catheter with a rotatable imaging assembly and an image processor. The image processor in turn features a pulser configured to energize the ultrasound transducer of the rotatable imaging assembly with a multi-frequency ultrasound waveform signal. The image processor further contains a receiver configured to decompose received ultrasound energy as reflected by the target vessel into a plurality of individual subband signals, individually process these signals and reconstitute these signals into a high resolution image of the blood vessel. The IVUS system of the invention may be useful in characterizing cap thickness of vulnerable plaques or other detailed studies of blood vessels.

Abstract: A conductor-less, shape-able, surgical lighting system and methods for use in surgical applications in which a medical clinician, once having established a surgical site, can shape the lighting system to selectively illuminate desired volumes of the surgical site. The system includes preselected lengths of an elongate light emitting member formed of a transparent elastomer matrix material having a glass transition temperature of lower than or substantially equal to room temperature to render the elongate light emitting member bendable and shape-able. Embedded in the transparent elastomer matrix material are particles of a transparent material having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the matrix material dispersed in the elastomer matrix material so that light coupled into the elongate light emitting member is scattered and refracted out of the elongate light emitting member along its length. One end of the elongate light emitting member is coupled with a light source.

Abstract: An interventional instrument (30) having ultrasound sensors (S1, S2, S3, S4, . . . ) is tracked using an ultrasound imaging device (10) that acquires and displays a 2D ultrasound image of a visualization plane (18), and performs 2D ultrasound sweeps for a range of plane angles (?) obtained by rotating the ultrasound probe (12) and encompassing the visualization plane angle. For each ultrasound sensor, an optimal plane is found based on its emitted signal strength over the range of plane angles, and the ultrasound sensor is located in its optimal plane by analyzing the sensor signal as a function of the timing of the beams fired by the ultrasound probe. These locations in their respective optimal planes are transformed to a 3D reference space using a transform (42) parameterized by plane angle, and a visual indicator is displayed of spatial information (T, L) for the interventional instrument generated from the locations of the one or more ultrasound sensors in the 3D reference space.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an illumination device for illuminating a target. A surgical microscope receives light from the target, the surgical microscope comprising at least one optical output port at which at least a portion of the received light is provided as an output from the surgical microscope. A tunable filter receives the portion of the received light provided as the output from the surgical microscope, the tunable filter being tunable to pass a filtered portion of the received light, the filtered portion of the received light having a plurality of wavelengths selected by the tunable filter and provided as output from the tunable filter. A high-resolution, broad-bandwidth electronic camera receives the light of a plurality of wavelengths selected by the tunable filter, the electronic camera converting the light of a plurality of wavelengths selected by the tunable filter to a plurality of electrical signals. A processor processes the plurality of electrical signals to form an image of the target.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasound probe, an imaging section that images the subject on the basis of a reception signal output from the ultrasound probe to generate an ultrasound image, an image analysis section that performs image analysis using the ultrasound image, a movement detection sensor that detects and outputs a movement of the ultrasound probe as a detection signal, a movement amount calculation section that calculates a movement amount of the ultrasound probe in a case where an imaging inspection portion that is currently being imaged among a plurality of inspection portions of the subject is inspected, using the detection signal output from the movement detection sensor, and a portion discrimination section that discriminates the imaging inspection portion on the basis of an image analysis result in the image analysis section and the movement amount calculated by the movement amount calculation section.

Abstract: A method for postural independent location of targets in diagnostic images acquired by multimodal acquisitions, compensating for deformation of soft tissues due to changing posture, includes generating a transition of a digital image of the inside of a target region from a first to a second position by correlating the position of markers placed on the external surface of the target region in a digital image of the inside of the target region and in a digital representation of the external surface of the target region acquired by optically scanning the external surface; and at a later time registering the diagnostic image of the inside of the target region, transitioned into the second position, with a diagnostic image of the same target region acquired with the target region in the second position by matching a second representation of the external surface of the target region in the second position without markers with the diagnostic image of the inside of the target region transitioned into the second posit

Abstract: An ultrasound probe and ultrasound diagnostic apparatus that achieve high transmission/reception sensitivity and wide frequency band are provided. The ultrasound probe includes a pMUT array in which a plurality of pMUTs are arranged. The pMUTs include first pMUTs for ultrasound transmission and pMUTs for ultrasound wave reception having a structure different from that of the first pMUTs. The cell region of each first pMUT and the cell region of each second pMUT are separated from each other in the ultrasound wave radiation plane.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for remotely controlling a main processing console of an ultrasound system. In various embodiments, an ultrasound remote controller can be used to remotely control a main processing console of an ultrasound system. The ultrasound remote controller can include a user interface controller configured to provide one or more ultrasound control functions to a user remote from the main processing console. The control functions can be used to remotely control operation of the main console. Further, the user interface controller can be configured to receive input for the one or more ultrasound control functions from the user. The ultrasound remote controller can include a communication interface configured to transmit operational instructions to the main processing console for remotely controlling the operation of the main processing console through the ultrasound remote controller based on the user input for the one or more ultrasound control functions.

Abstract: Coupler assemblies and methods are disclosed as the coupler assemblies may be used with a catheter. An exemplary coupler assembly includes a spherical linkage coupler for a catheter. The coupler comprises a first cylinder portion for connecting to a structure, and a second cylinder portion for connecting to a distal end of a body of the catheter. The coupler also comprises a spherical linkage including at least two link arms. Each of the two link arms are connected on one end to the first cylinder portion and on the other end to the second cylinder portion. The two link arms connect a portion of the structure to the distal end of the catheter and enable the structure to move relative to the distal end of the catheter in response to an external force exerted on the structure.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe contains an array transducer coupled to a digital microbeamformer. The digital microbeamformer is capable of producing delayed echo signals which are a delayed by a fraction of a clock cycle of received digital echo signals. The fractional delay is produced by an FIR filter which conserves power by weighting digital echo signals without the use of digital multipliers.

Abstract: Provided is a non-invasive system and method of determining pennation angle and/or fascicle length based on image processing. An ultrasound scan image is processed to facilitate distinguishing of muscle fiber and tendon. The processed ultrasound scan image is then analyzed. The pennation angle and/or fascicle length is determined based on the analysis. An example method includes receiving an ultrasound scan image of at least a portion of a skin layer as disposed above one or more additional tissue layers, the image provided by a plurality of pixels. The method continues by introducing noise into the pixels of the image and thresholding the pixels of the image to provide a binary image having a plurality of structural elements of different sizes. The method continues with morphing the structural elements of the binary image to remove small structural elements and connect large structural elements.

Abstract: A system for providing a perspective for a virtual image includes an intraoperative imaging system (110) having a transducer (146) configured to generate an image data set for a region. A shape sensing enabled device (102) is configured to have at least a portion of the shape sensing enabled device positioned relative to the region. The shape sensing enabled device has a coordinate system registered with a coordinate system of the intraoperative imaging system. An image generation module (148) is configured to render a virtual image (152) of at least a portion of the region using the image data set wherein the virtual image includes a vantage point relative to a position on the shape sensing enabled device.