Abstract: When planning magnetic resonance (MR) guided high intensity focused ultrasonic (HIFU) therapy, HIFU transducer element parameters are optimized as a function of 3D MR data describing a size, shape, and position of a region of interest (ROI) (146) and any obstructions (144) between the HIFU transducer elements and the ROI (146). Transducer element phases and amplitudes are adjusted to maximize HIFU radiation delivery to the ROI (146) while minimizing delivery to the obstruction (144). Additionally or alternatively, transducer elements are selectively deactivated if the obstruction (144) is positioned between the ROI (146) and a given transducer element.

Abstract: Non-invasive systems and methods for determining fractional flow reserve. At least one method of determining fractional flow reserve within a luminal organ of the present disclosure comprising the steps of positioning a monitoring device external to a luminal organ and near a stenosis, the monitoring device capable of determining at least one characteristic of the stenosis, operating the monitoring device to determine the at least one characteristic of the stenosis, and determining fractional flow reserve at or near the stenosis based upon the at least one characteristic determined by the monitoring device.

Abstract: A method for treating the lower extremity varicose vein combined ultrasonic wave and microwave is provided. The method includes steps of firstly finding the diseased vein by the ultrasonic imaging equipment; and then directly effecting the microwave treatment catheter/needle on the diseased vein; by the concentric thermal coagulation release effect of the microwave to the tissue, instantly generating high temperature with the certain penetration range in a small range for tissue coagulation; and then gradually making the vascular fibrosis; finally making the completely atresia, thus achieving the therapeutic aim. The present invention uses the ultrasonic imaging microwave treatment technique to treat the lower extremity varicose vein disease.

Abstract: High-frequency ultrasound imaging can be performed with greater quality and suppressed grating lobes by using methods and systems for effectively reducing the temporal length of transmit grating lobe signals in received ultrasound echoes. Systems and methods are provided for improved high-frequency ultrasound imaging. In various aspects, the method of shortening the time domain of grating lobe signals comprises splitting an array of N transmit elements into K sub-apertures. In further aspects, the grating lobes are suppressed by performing signal processing of the shortened grating lobe signals. In certain aspects, the signal processing method comprises weighting the samples by a calculated phase coherence factor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving the quality of ultrasound images made up of a combination of multiple sub-images include giving more weight to sub-image information that is more likely to improve a combined image quality. Weighting factor information may be determined from the geometry (e.g., angle or path length) of a location of one or more specific transducer elements relative to a specific point within a region of interest or a region of an image. In some embodiments, any given pixel (or other discrete region of an image) may be formed by combining received echo data in a manner that gives more weight to data that is likely to improve image quality, and/or discounting or ignoring data that is likely to detract from image quality (e.g., by introducing noise or by increasing point spread).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring mechanical properties of tissue has a stereo optical surgical microscope with at least one objective lens and at least two digital cameras such that paired images obtained from the digital cameras form stereo pairs, and a digital image processing system adapted to determine surface topography of tissue from the stereo pairs of images and a resulting surface displacement map as a result from indentation. The apparatus has an one indenter; and mechanical modeling routines stored in memory of the image processing system, the mechanical modeling routines capable of constructing computer models of mechanical properties of tissue, and fitting parameters of the computer model to observed surface displacement maps generated by coregistering surface topography of tissue with and without the indenter positioned on the tissue. In an embodiment, fitted parameters of the computer model are displayed and used to adjust a surgical plan.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inserting and monitoring the placement of a cannula tip within a peripheral vein of a human body where the cannula includes a sensor located at predetermined location and mounted on the cannula for sensing the biological material of the body to guide the insertion of the cannula tip into the vein and alerts to the withdrawal of the cannula tip from the vein in the body.

Abstract: A method and system for intraoperative, image-based reduction control for long bone shaft fracture treatment. The method includes preoperative steps of a) implanting markers into the proximal fragment and into the distal fragment of the broken bone, b) creating a 3D reference model of bone by taking a CT scan of the healthy bone, a CT scan of the broken bone and c) defining landmarks in the reference model based on the marker positions. The method further includes intraoperative steps of d) extracting the 3D position of the same landmarks from a series of 2D fluoroscopic images, using a reference object and e) comparing the positions the preoperatively defined landmarks and the positions of the intraoperatively extracted landmarks to calculate the malalignment of the fracture fragments.

Abstract: A stenotic lesion can be characterized by measuring both pressure drop across the stenotic lesion and the size of the vessel lumen adjacent the stenotic lesion, both with sensors delivered intravascularly to the stenotic lesion site. The size (e.g., inner diameter, cross-sectional profile) of the vessel lumen adjacent the stenotic lesion can be measured via one or more intravascular ultrasound transducers. Such one or more intravascular ultrasound transducer(s) can be delivered to the site of the stenotic lesion with the same delivery device that carries a pressure transducer.

Abstract: A method of obtaining a Doppler image of tissue which is captured using an ultrasonic wave. The method includes: transmitting an ultrasonic signal to a target object such that a plurality of ensembles are formed and receiving an ultrasonic response signal from the target object. The method further includes filtering the received ultrasonic response signal by using a variable filter and estimating a frequency of the received ultrasonic response signal based on the filtered data. Thereafter, the Doppler image of the tissue based on the estimated frequency can be generated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-invasive monitoring and detection of sudden changes in cardiovascular hemodynamics, in which a PPG signal is obtained from a patient, a time-frequency spectrum (TFS) is computed from the PPG signal, instantaneous modulations at a plurality of time points defining a curve of a prominent frequency of oscillation are extracted from the TFS, a peak power spectral density sequence is computed using the instantaneous modulations, and instantaneous peak values for following prominent frequency oscillations are monitored.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus including an ultrasound probe which outputs a transmission ultrasound wave toward a subject due to a driving signal and which outputs a received signal by receiving a reflection ultrasound wave from the subject, a transmitting unit which makes the ultrasound probe generate the transmission ultrasound wave by outputting each of a first transmission signal, a second transmission signal, a third transmission signal and a fourth transmission signal as the driving signal, and a signal component extraction unit which extracts a higher harmonic component and a difference frequency component by compounding a first received signal, a second received signal, a third received signal and a fourth received signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasound diagnosis device for creating an ultrasound image with a high contrast-to-tissue ratio. Said device sends a transmission pulse to the subject, uses an ultrasound probe to receive echoes reflected from an ultrasound contrast agent injected into the subject, and forms an image. The transmission pulse is sent such that nonlinear interactions between the constituent frequency components of said transmission pulse, as a result of the acoustic nonlinearity of the subject, do not produce sum and difference components in the frequency sensitivity range of the ultrasonic probe as the transmission pulse propagates across the subject.

Abstract: A local coil for an imaging system, in particular an MRI scanner, is provided. The local coil is an MRI scanner local coil within which the head of a patient may be positioned, and that includes at least one shim coil. A conductor of a shim coil of the at least one shim coil is disposed in a region for a molded nape section of the patient.

Abstract: A system for determining stroke volume of an individual. The system includes a skew-determining module that is configured to calculate a first derivative of photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals of the individual. The first derivative forms a derivative waveform. The skew-determining module is configured to determine a skew metric of the first derivative, wherein the skew metric is indicative of a morphology of at least one pulse wave detected from blood flow of the individual in the derivative waveform. The system also includes an analysis module that is configured to determine a stroke volume of the individual. The stroke volume is a function of the skew metric of the first derivative.

Abstract: An RF shielded room (14) which houses a magnetic resonance scanner (12) also houses a patient monitor (20) which includes a plurality of sensors (18) which collect physiological data about a patient undergoing a magnetic resonance examination. The monitor includes a transmitter (46) which transmits the physiological data on at least two frequency channels of a broadband frequency spectrum. A communication unit (26) located outside the RF shielded room includes first and second receivers (54, 58) which receive the physiological data from the monitor on the first and second frequency channels, respectively. A processor (62) combines physiological data received by the first and second receivers to. A display (32) displays the combined physiological data. A switch (56) switches antenna connections of the receivers (54, 58) responsive to detection of multipath fade.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying a volume of activation (VOA) may include a processor that displays via a display device a model of a portion of a patient anatomy that includes anatomical structures, displays via the display device and overlying the display of the model a VOA associated by the processor with a set of anatomical stimulation parameter settings, the display of the VOA, and graphically identifies interactions between the displayed VOA and a first subset of the anatomical structures associated with one or more stimulation benefits and a second subset of the anatomical structures associated with one or more stimulation side effects, where the graphical identifications differ depending on whether the interaction is with the first subset or the second subset.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer and methods of fabricating and using the ultrasound transducer. The ultrasound transducer includes a composite layer having a first surface and comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements separated by isolating material filled kerfs. The composite layer is configured so that the first surface includes an exposed face of each element of the plurality of piezoelectric elements. The transducer further includes a plurality of electrodes defined on the first surface, the electrodes having boundaries configured so that none of the exposed faces are in contact with more than one of the plurality of electrodes. The electrodes may be defined in a conductive layer deposited on the first surface of the composite body by forming a channel in the conductive layer that is aligned vertically with the dielectric kerfs. The transducer may be used to scan a treatment region with both HIFU and imaging ultrasound signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods of M-mode ultrasound imaging allows for M-mode imaging along user-defined paths. In various embodiments, the user-defined path can be a non-linear path or a curved path. In some embodiments, a system for M-mode ultrasound imaging can comprise a multi-aperture probe with at least a first transmitting aperture and a second receiving aperture. The receiving aperture can be separate from the transmitting aperture. In some embodiments, the transmitting aperture can be configured to transmit an unfocused, spherical, ultrasound ping signal into a region of interest. The user-defined path can define a structure of interest within the region of interest.

Abstract: Preferred systems can include an electrical impedance tomography apparatus electrically connectable to an object; an ultra low field magnetic resonance imaging apparatus including a plurality of field directions and disposable about the object; a controller connected to the ultra low field magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and configured to implement a sequencing of one or more ultra low magnetic fields substantially along one or more of the plurality of field directions; and a display connected to the controller, and wherein the controller is further configured to reconstruct a displayable image of an electrical current density in the object. Preferred methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are also disclosed.