Abstract: Disclosed are devices, kits and methods for forming a marker element including, in aspects, a tube having a longitudinal direction, a base element received in a first end of the tube, a wire receiving portion at a second end of the tube, a force applicator receivable within the second end of the tube, the force applicator being configured to apply force to a received wire in the longitudinal direction of the tube to deformably compress the received wire to a selected length relative to the longitudinal direction of the tube. Also disclosed is a marker delivery device having a tube, a marker element preformed within the tube, and an actuator element receivable in the tube to move the marker element from the tube into a tissue site.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system acquire data to create a 3D mesh representing a 3D object. The method, apparatus, and system acquire image data of the 3D object using an imaging probe that includes illumination and detection capability. A light source operates to illuminate the 3D object for reflection and/or trans-illumination imaging, and a detection assembly receives image reflection and/or trans-illumination image data. The reflectance and trans-illumination image data collected by the detection assembly are co-registered with a previously acquired 3D mesh using data from a tracking system monitoring the position of the probe, displayed in real-time, and optionally saved.

Abstract: An object is to accurately calculate an index indicating a probability of an event occurring to a patient in the future. A mortality risk calculation unit acquires a heart/mediastinum ratio (H/M ratio), obtained by administering a heart function diagnostic medicine to a first subject, from subject data stored in a subject data storage unit, and calculates an index indicating a probability of a predetermined event occurring to the first subject by substituting the H/M ratio acquired from the subject data storage unit into a function defined in accordance with a history of occurrences of the predetermined event to a plurality of second subjects.

Abstract: An embryo transfer catheter or other medical device has a shaft extruded with two layers. The outer layer is relatively thick and contains gas bubbles sufficient to increase the visibility of the catheter under ultrasound observation but with a density that allows material within the catheter to be viewed by the eye. The inner layer is relatively thin and is free of bubbles so that it provides a smooth bore to the catheter.

Abstract: Systems and method for optical imaging of an animal include a body conforming animal mold, which is shaped and sized to hold an animal in an immobilized and geometrically defined position and a gantry, which can include multiple optical mirrors to provide for simultaneous imaging of multiple different views of an animal within a body conforming animal mold.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasound inspection device, an ultrasound image data generation method, and a computer-readable recording medium in which is stored a program, which determine for each of data calculation points whether or not the distance to a transmission focal point is with a predetermined range, and when the distance from the data calculation point to the transmission focal point is outside the predetermined range, superimposition of a plurality of first element data is carried out assuming an ultrasonic beam to be a convergent wave, and when the distance from the data calculation point to the transmission focal point is within the predetermined range, the superimposition of the plurality of first element data is carried out assuming an ultrasonic beam to be a planar wave to thereby generate second element data corresponding to the data calculation points.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking an invasive device includes a localization system configured to be externally attached to a patient. The localization system includes a transducer module including a plurality of transducer elements. The system and method includes an invasive device including at least one device transducer element. The invasive device is configured to either transmit ultrasound position signals to the transducer module or receive ultrasound position signals from the transducer module.

Abstract: A radiographic imaging device comprising an imaging platform that includes an imaging surface on which a breast of a test subject is to be rested; a radiation irradiation section disposed to face the imaging surface and irradiates radiation at the imaging surface; a main radiation protection portion that is disposed at the side of a region between the radiation irradiation section and the imaging surface and that is adapted to protect the test subject from the radiation; and an auxiliary radiation protection portion disposed at a side portion of the main radiation protection portion, and that is movable between a protecting position, at which the auxiliary radiation protection portion is adapted to protect the test subject, and a non-protecting position, at which the auxiliary radiation protection portion is withdrawn from the protecting position.

Abstract: A system (10) can localize an object in a patient's body. The system (10) can include a pulse generator (18 or 30) configured to provide a localization signal to at least one electrode that is fixed to the object in the patient's body. A sensor array (22) can be configured to detect an electrical field produced in response to the localization signal and provide respective sensor signals. A map generator (42) can be configured to reconstruct electrical signals based on the respective sensor signals and geometry data representing a geometric relationship between patient anatomy and the sensor array. A location calculator (50) can determine a location where the localization signal was applied based on the reconstructed electrical signals.

Abstract: In the ultrasound diagnosis, a probe performs transmission of an ultrasonic beam a plurality of times so as to form predetermined transmission focus points, the analog reception data output by the probe is A/D converted to turn into a first element data, a plurality of first element data is used to generate a second element data corresponding to any one of the plurality of first element data, and a sound velocity is determined using the first element data in a case where the position for determining the sound velocity is in a vicinity of the transmission focus point and using the second element data in a case where the position is not in a vicinity of the transmission focus point. In this manner, the sound velocity of the ultrasound waves in an inspection object can be accurately determined without decreasing the frame rate.

Abstract: A surgical port assembly for use with surgical instruments includes a body including an exterior surface and an interior space defined by an interior surface of the body. The surgical port assembly includes a control interface including a plurality of drive members coupled to the body and controllable to apply a force to a different portion of a shaft of an surgical instrument, when the shaft is disposed within the interior space, to move a distal portion of the surgical instrument to a desired position within a body cavity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus disclosed herein use a filtering technique to improve the accuracy of the results achieved when processing data provided by a physiological sensor. The disclosed filtering technique corrects many of the accuracy problems associated with physiological sensors, particularly PPG sensors. Broadly, the filtering technique adjusts a current filtered estimate of a physiological metric as a function of a rate limit based on a comparison between an instantaneous estimate of the physiological metric and the current filtered estimate.

Abstract: A medical system for locating a catheter distal tip within a body using a plurality electrical position sensors and a magnetic position sensor in conjunction with an acceleration sensor or rotational encoder. The system locates the catheter by using signals from the acceleration sensor or rotational encoder and magnetic sensors to compensate for positioning errors associated with electric positioning sensors.

Abstract: An in vivo and insitu diagnostic and light therapeutic tool for the Pap test having a cavity fitting housing with an optical and digital magnification path coupled to image detecting sensor logic. The tool has an optical scraper stem mechanically controlled and extendable from within the housing, the stem having at least one fiber optical channel for selected frequency and wavelength light various light sources, an optical scraper slide component optically coupled to the scraper fiber optic channel stem distal end, channeling light from the housing to the scraper slide normal axis surface for illumination penetrating a specimen sample for optical imaging into an optical microscopy magnification path axis whereby micrograph image from in vivo Pap tests can be accomplished and resulting image micrographs programmatically identified and verified in situ in real-time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a personal hand-held monitor comprising a signal acquisition device for acquiring signals which can be used to derive a measurement of a parameter related to the health of the user, the signal acquisition device being integrated with a personal hand-held computing device. The present invention also provides a signal acquisition device adapted to be integrated with a personal hand-held computing device to produce a personal hand-held monitor as defined above.

Abstract: A needle electrode deployment shaft includes a central member and a plurality of needle electrodes. The central member has a plurality of needle advancement channels formed therein. The needle electrodes are disposed within the advancement channels and each advancement channel terminates in a ramp portion which deflects the needles radially outwardly as they are axially advanced. The ramps may be spirally or acutely configured in order to increase the distance through which the needles may be bent as they are axially advanced. Additionally, the central member may have a radially reduced distal tip in order to decrease tissue insertion forces.

Abstract: Provided are an ultrasonic probe and a method of manufacturing the same. The ultrasonic probe includes: a matching layer; a piezoelectric layer that is disposed on a bottom surface of the matching layer and generates ultrasonic waves; and a backing layer that is disposed on a bottom surface of the piezoelectric layer and includes plate-shaped carbon allotropes and a backing material provided between the plate-shaped carbon allotropes.

Abstract: A garment for bringing an EM transducer to contact with a thoracic skin surface area of a wearer is disclosed. The garment comprises a thoracic garment having a EM transducer placement portion and a pressure applying element associated with the EM transducer placement portion for applying a pressure on an EM transducer secured in an associated the EM transducer placement portion when the thoracic garment is worn by a wearer so that the EM transducer applies a respective pressure on a thoracic skin surface area of the wearer.

Abstract: Provided is a holder which comprises at least two probe mount portions and is to be put on the head of a subject by inserting a light-transmitting probe for emitting light from the tip thereof or a light-receiving probe for receiving light through the tip thereof in the probe mount portion, the holder characterized by being provided with a linear backbone portion extending in a first direction, at least two linear branch portions extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and a disposition reference point disposed so as to match a first specific point, the first specific point being set in the head of the subject.

Abstract: A compact, on-airway, respiratory gas analyzer for performing pulmonary function tests incorporates an IR spectroscopy light guide having a curved, rather than linear, sample chamber that lies transverse to a direction of respiratory gas flow. Cooperating with the sample chamber is an impact plate that functions to steer respiratory and test gases impinging on the impact plate into the curved sample chamber. A source of IR energy is at one end of the sample chamber and an electro-optical sensor responsive to IR energy is disposed at an opposite end of the chamber. The respiratory gas analyzer also includes gas flow paths and valving for carrying out lung capacity and lung diffusion tests.