Abstract: In order to provide a technology that does not require, in a probe, provision of a bias voltage storage unit and a communication unit and, in an apparatus main body, provision of a communication unit configured to communicate to/from the probe and a unit configured to control a bias voltage based on a value obtained by the communication, there is provided a probe including a plurality of cells, the cell including a first electrode and a second electrode disposed so as to be opposed to the first electrode across a gap. The plurality of cells include: a first cell configured to perform at least one of transmission or reception of an ultrasound wave; and a second cell in which pull-in occurs at a voltage lower than a pull-in voltage of the first cell and which is configured to be short-circuited at a time of the pull-in.

Abstract: A system for imaging and treating tissue comprises a probe having a deflectable distal tip for carrying an imaging array and a delivery needle for advancement within a field of view of the imaging array. Optionally, the needle will carry a plurality of tines which may be selectively radially deployed from the needle. The imaging array will preferably be provided in a separate, removable component.

Abstract: Selectively exciting bulk protons in certain tissue components, e.g. water, while suppressing the excitation of others, e.g. fat, can lead to images with better contrast for desired features. The invention provides binomial, off-resonance RF excitation pulses for differentiating tissue excitation that yields a larger fat suppression that prior art water excitation methods. Proper balancing of the frequency offset and the pulse duration with a relative phase offset between the pulses leads to large-bandwidth pass- and stopbands for water and fat, respectively. The pulses can be applied with short, or even zero, interpulse delay, leading to substantial time savings in the imaging sequence.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) image is created by executing an imaging sequence with an MR apparatus, wherein data in k-space are acquired using multiple receiving antennae, and reconstruction of all image points that correspond to all k-space points belonging to the imaging sequence takes place using a sensitivity profile of the receiving antennae in order to also take account of data at k-space points at positions at which no data were acquired. Data acquired at a number of positions of particular k-space points, the number of the particular k-space points being smaller than the number of all k-space points belonging to the imaging sequence. The aperture of each of the receiving antennae is configured such that, for acquisition of data at a respective k-space point, the spectral main lobe of the respective receiving antenna also extends over k-space points adjacent to the respective k-space point.

Abstract: Arrangements described herein relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods for managing gel on a subject to provide gel on a first area of the subject, including controlling a transducer to move to a second area of the subject and controlling the transducer to move the gel to the first area from the second area.

Abstract: Human and animal infections are treated using extracorporeal acoustic pressure shock waves that destroy harmful pathogens as bacteria, viruses, funguses and other micro-organisms to disinfect infected tissue.

Abstract: Described herein are example methods, devices and systems for motion compensation in ultrasonic respiration monitoring. A respiration detection system includes a first probe placed on a front side of a patient's body and a second probe placed on a dorsal side of the body. The first probe includes an ultrasound transducer, a first accelerometer unit and a magnetic field sensor unit, and the second probe includes a second accelerometer unit and magnetic field sensor unit. Due to respiration of the patient, the abdominal region of the body moves, creating measurement errors when an ultrasound beam is directed towards an internal structure (internal tissue region) inside the patient's body. Correction for such measurement errors uses input data from the first and second accelerometer units and the magnetic field sensor unit.

Abstract: A method for generating and displaying a 3D visualization of a cardiac-ablation balloon with a location marker and central catheter portion in a heart, the method using single-plane fluoroscopic images and comprising: placing, inflating and positioning the balloon; capturing a first burst of images from a first angle; capturing a burst of images from a second (different) angle; selecting an image from each burst to minimize cardio-respiratory phase differences therebetween; identifying the location marker in each image; placing first and second orientation markers in two images where the central catheter portion intersects a projected balloon image farthest from the location marker; associating the second-view location and orientation markers in the selected second-view image with the first-view location orientation markers; determining balloon 3D location and orientation of the balloon using the selected images and associated orientation markers; and inserting a balloon model into the 3D visualization for di

Abstract: A method is for providing an attenuation map of a patient, suitable for correcting PET data of the patient acquired with combined magnetic resonance/positron emission tomography imaging in a magnetic resonance/positron emission tomography system. In an embodiment, the method includes acquiring magnetic resonance data with at least one imaging scan in the magnetic resonance/positron emission tomography system; determining the attenuation map of the patient using the magnetic resonance data and providing the attenuation map of the patient for correcting the PET data of the patient acquired with combined magnetic resonance/positron emission tomography imaging.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides, in part, methods for high spatiotemporal resolution self-sorted 4D MRI. These methods can be used to improve resolution of abdominothoracic MRI during breathing by facilitating the sorting of information corresponding to individual MRI pulse sequences according to phase within the respiratory cycle. An image of the anatomy for a particular phase within the respiratory cycle is then determined using both information corresponding to the particular phase and high-frequency MR imaging information corresponding to other respiratory phases. This method provides an increase in image resolution by sharing information at high frequencies in k-space, which may be less thoroughly sampled during any particular respiratory phase, between different respiratory phases.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system uses a magnetic linear motor driven ultrasound scanner, with accurate track and hold operation and/or other motion feedback, to scan a two dimensional or three dimensional area of a sample. The scanner is implemented in a low-power and low-bandwidth handheld device and is connected with a remote image processing system that receives raw data and performs full ultrasound image analysis and creation, allowing the handheld to be used for scanning, pre-processing, and display.

Abstract: A diagnostic imaging catheter includes a drive shaft provided with a signal transmitting and receiving unit at a distal portion thereof and which is rotatable and movable forward and backward, a sheath into which the drive shaft is inserted, a relay connector coupled to a proximal end of the sheath, a support tube provided at an outer circumference of the drive shaft along an axial direction and which moves forward and backward in conjunction with the drive shaft, a seal member provided inside the relay connector and which seals a space between the relay connector and the support tube, and an injection opening located in a region closer to a distal side than the seal member and closer to a proximal side than a distal end of the support tube in a backward movement limit position thereof and via which a liquid is able to be injected into the sheath.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for automatic positioning of a patient relative to a medical device, the patient is positioned on a patient support of the medical device in a detection area of an optical position determining device of the medical device. The optical position determining device has at least one three-dimensional light curtain arrangement. A start position of the patient is detected by the optical position determining device and a position deviation between the start position detected and a target position stored in a control processor is determined. Depending on the position deviation, the patient support is automatically positioned in three dimensions.

Abstract: A method for assessing suture line integrity includes loading a navigation plan into a navigation system, the navigation plan including a planned pathway shown in a 3D model, inserting a probe into a patient's airways, the probe including a location sensor in operative communication with the navigation system, registering a sensed location of the probe with the planned pathway, and selecting a target in the navigation plan, the target including a proposed suture line. The method further includes presenting a view of the 3D model showing the planned pathway and indicating the sensed location of the probe, navigating the probe through the airways of the patient's lungs toward the target, and imaging the proposed suture line of the target, via the probe, to determine tissue integrity surrounding the proposed suture line.

Abstract: Processes of intraoperative diagnosis and elimination of tumors or micro-tumors or cancer cells or tumor micro-environment (TME) with plasmonic nanobubbles (PNBs) are disclosed. The diagnosis and surgical processes disclosed can improve standard onco-surgery through one or more of the following: real-time intraoperative local detection of MRD in vivo with high cancer sensitivity and specificity; real-time guidance of surgery to precisely eliminate resectable MRD with minimal morbidity by resecting only PNB-positive volume instead of a larger volume; intraoperative selective elimination of unresectable MRD through the mechanical impact of lethal cancer cell-specific PNBs without damaging adjacent normal cells and tissues; and prediction of the surgical outcome through the metrics of PNB signals.

Abstract: An adaptor for receiving a navigated structure, wherein the navigated structure is at least a part of a medical object which carries an object reference, and for being connected to a registration tool in order to register the navigated structure in a medical navigation system, the adaptor comprising at least two adaptor parts which, in an assembled state, form a structure receiving recess in the shape of the navigated structure and an adaptor coupling part for connecting the adaptor to the registration tool in a predetermined relative position.

Abstract: Devices and methods for generating acoustic shock wave within a cavity is disclosed. The shock wave device optionally includes a housing having a cylindrical portion and a cone frustum portion. The housing optionally forms a cavity configured to receive a penis. The shock wave device optionally includes a plurality of shock wave generators and a coupling assembly having a deformable sac configured to hold shock wave transmitting liquid. The volume of the transmitting liquid is optionally increased or decreased as needed so that the coupling assembly can conform to the shape of the penis. The shock waves generated optionally has an intensity gradient within the cavity of the shock wave device, where the intensity gradient is optionally controllable using a control and power supply unit.

Abstract: A medical system (10) and method (100) image a vessel wall automatically. A scout scan of a patient for localizing a target vessel of the patient is automatically performed (102) using magnetic resonance (MR). The scout scan is three-dimensional (3D) and isotropic. An MR data set of the scout scan is automatically reconstructed (104) into foot-to-head (FH), left-to-right (LR) and posterior-to-anterior (PA) projections. A3D imaging volume (16) encompassing the target vessel is automatically determined (106) from the projections, and a diagnostic scan of the 3D imaging volume (16) is performed (108) using MR.

Abstract: An arrhythmia detection device is provided, which includes: a monitoring probe attached to a subject to be examined; a monitoring unit coupled with the monitoring probe; a first displaying unit which displays ECG parameters obtained by the monitoring unit; an ultrasound probe attached onto a body surface of the subject; an ultrasound imaging unit coupled with the ultrasound probe; an arrhythmia triggering unit which triggers the ultrasound imaging unit to scan the heart of the subject when the monitoring unit detects an arrhythmia; and a second displaying unit which displays the images and/or the parameters of the heart obtained by the ultrasound imaging unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transducer array and a multilayer body for extracting an electric wiring from each electrode. Transducers are classified into at least a first group and a second group. The multilayer body includes a first FPC layer on which the array is stacked and a second FPC layer on which the first FPC layer is stacked. The first FPC layer and the second FPC layer include upper surface connection pads and lower surface electrode pads which maintain a uniform level at positions spatially corresponding to the respective transducers. FPC layers constituting an FPC multilayer body are bonded to each other to be integrally formed in a region corresponding to the width of the array. On the other hand, the respective FPC layers are not bonded to each other and separated from each other outside the region corresponding to the width of the array.