Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an RF coil former comprising an inner surface and an outer surface and a composite RF shield positioned adjacently to the outer surface of the RF coil former so as to be formed about the RF coil former. The MRI system also comprises an RF coil positioned on the inner surface of the RF coil former. The RF coil former comprises a generally cylindrical member having an indented portion indented in a radial direction inwardly from the outer surface, and the composite RF shield comprises a first shield material positioned about the outer surface of the RF coil former, a second shield material position about the indented portion of the RF coil former, and a conformal shield material positioned about the RF coil former that electrically couples the first shield material to the second shield material.

Abstract: A probe includes a plurality of optical fibers that includes an irradiation fiber and a light-receiving fiber; and an optical member of which a base end face is arranged to abut on leading end faces of the optical fibers, and a leading end face is exposed to an outer side. The leading end face of the optical member is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the probe. Light emitted from the irradiation fiber passes through a path inclined with respect to a perpendicular line of the leading end face.

Abstract: Skin diagnostic techniques employed in conjunction with image processing techniques. For example, a method includes performing one or more diagnostic operations on at least one portion of a user skin image to generate user skin image data, wherein the diagnostic operations are associated with an identified skin-related application. The user skin image data is processed in accordance with the identified skin-related application. The processing includes identifying one or more sets of skin image data in a database that correspond to the user skin image data based on parameters specified by the skin-related application, and determining at least one image processing filter based on the sets of identified skin image data. The image processing filter is applied to the user skin image to generate a simulated user skin image.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for performing a health correlation assessment based upon results an eye contrast sensitivity measurement test of a person. The health correlation assessment yields a predictive and probabilistic measure of the likelihood of the person appropriately assigned to a particular clinical health classification. Such an eye contrast sensitivity measurement can be used to identify people who are likely to be within a pre-Alzheimer's disease state or within Alzheimer's disease state of health and identify those who should seek further clinical and/or other types of testing to ascertain their actual health status and to determine an appropriate course of medical treatment.

Abstract: Random sinogram variance is reduced in continuous bed motion acquisition. The randoms are modeled as a product of transverse singles efficiencies. The random sinogram is assumed to be a smooth function in the axial direction, collapsing the parameterization for estimating the transverse singles efficiencies into a single, conceptual ring. By solving the product, the mean random values are used to smooth the randoms in image reconstruction with less noise and artifacts.

Abstract: Systems and methods for imaging within depth layers of a tissue include illuminating light rays at different changing wavelengths (frequencies), collimating illuminated light rays using a collimator, and splitting light rays using a beam splitter, such that some of the light rays are directed towards a reference mirror and some of the rays are directed towards the tissue. The systems and methods further include reflecting light rays from the reference mirror towards the imager, filtering out non-collimated light rays reflected off the tissue by using a telecentric optical system, and reflecting collimated light rays reflected off the tissue towards the imager, thus creating an image of an interference pattern based on collimated light rays reflected off the tissue and off the reference mirror. The method may further include creating full 2D images from the interference pattern for each depth layer of the tissue using Fast Fourier transform.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including generating a road map of a blood vessel. Subsequent to the generation of the road map, a tool is inserted into the blood vessel. While the tool is inside the blood vessel, the position of the tool is determined. The road map is modified to account for the determined position of the tool. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a transmitter section for driving a probe so that a subject is scanned with an ultrasonic beam over a predetermined period of time; a receiver section for receiving, using the probe, an echo resulting from the ultrasonic beam being reflected by the subject, and producing a receive signal for each passage of the predetermined period of time; an image constructing section for producing a tomographic image frame composed of brightness information based on an intensity of the receive signal for each passage of the predetermined period of time, and adjusting brightness of the produced tomographic image frame with a set gain; a gain control section for producing the set gain; and a display section for displaying the tomographic image frame whose brightness has been adjusted.

Abstract: A region-of-interest setting unit sets a region of interest to be included in an ultrasound image. A first movement-amount calculating unit sequentially calculates a movement amount of the set region of interest between reception data along the time sequence as a first movement amount. A transmitting-receiving delay-amount computing unit computes a delay amount for sequentially shifting a scan region of an ultrasonic beam based on the sequentially calculated first movement amount. A computation/control circuit performs control so as to generate a high voltage pulse based on the computed delay amount. A second movement-amount calculating unit sequentially calculates a movement amount of the region of interest between image data along the time sequence as a second movement amount. A display-position correcting unit performs a correction such that the region of interest included in the image data is to be displayed at the same display position, based on the second movement amount.

Abstract: A catheter for magnetic resonance (MR) guided procedures comprising: a catheter body having a lumen for accommodating an intravascular device; a magnetic coupling component in the catheter body, the magnetic coupling component being designed to magnetically couple with a conductive length on the intravascular device, the magnetic coupling resulting in a signal; the catheter having a connection to deliver the signal to a processor.

Abstract: In a radiation therapy and magnetic resonance unit, a magnetic resonance diagnosis part is provided. A radiation therapy part is provided for irradiation of an irradiation area within an interior of the diagnosis part. The radiation therapy part comprises a beam deflection enclosure for deflecting an electron beam toward an axis of the diagnosis part from an initial trajectory parallel to the axis. The beam deflection enclosure comprises a first magnetic field in a region of the beam deflection enclosure but of opposite direction and effective to cancel a main magnet field of the diagnosis part. A second magnet field is directed perpendicular to a trajectory of the electron beam to cause the electron beam to be deflected inward towards the axis.

Abstract: An optical three-dimensional structure measuring device including: optical three-dimensional structure information storing device (91) for storing optical three-dimensional structure information; specific layer extracting device (121) for comparing information values of the optical three-dimensional structure information stored in the optical three-dimensional structure information storing device with a predetermined threshold and extracting, as a specific layer area of the measurement target, an area equal to or greater than a predetermined range where the information values of the optical three-dimensional structure information equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold continue; missing area extracting device (122) for extracting, as missing areas, areas where the information values of the optical three-dimensional structure information are smaller than the predetermined threshold in the specific layer area; missing area range calculating device (123) for calculating sizes of ranges of the missin

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for multi-spectral imaging of tissue to obtain information about the distribution of fluorophores and chromophores in the tissue. Using specific spectral bands for illumination and specific spectral bands for detection, the signal-to-noise ratio and information related to the distribution of specific fluorophores is enhanced as compared to UV photography, which uses a single RGB image. Furthermore, the chromophore distribution information derived from the multi-spectral absorption images can be used to correct the fluorescence measurements. The combined fluorescence, absorption, and broadband reflectance data can be analyzed for disease diagnosis and skin feature detection.

Abstract: Provided is an organic piezoelectric material which has excellent piezoelectric property, heat resistance property in particular. An ultrasonic oscillator, which is to be used for an ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging device which can receive high frequencies at high sensitivity and is suitable for harmonic imaging techniques, a method for manufacturing such oscillator, and an ultrasonic probe are also provided. The ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging device is provided by sing such oscillator, method and probe. The organic piezoelectric material is characterized by containing empty particles having an average particle diameter of 10 ?m or less.

Abstract: A breast coil arrangement for magnetic resonance applications has a placement web that allows an examination subject to lie with her sternum on the placement web with each breast in a receptacle respectively on opposite sides of the placement web. The breast receptacles have limiting elements whose spacing from one another can be adjusted. Multiple array coils are respectively arranged in the limiting elements and are stationary relative to the limiting elements. Each breast receptacle is surrounded by a volume coil that is stationary relative to the placement web. The volume coils are arranged centrally and orthogonally relative to the array coils and surround the array coils. The volume coils are decoupled from the array coils. A spectroscopy phantom can be arranged in proximity to the placement web.

Abstract: The present invention is a multi-wavelength diagnostic imager. In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus and method for noninvasive evaluation of a target versus a non-target, comprising: one or more light sources having at least one emission spectra directed at the target wherein the position, orientation and intensity of light sources is varied to control near-surface reflectance and are directed at less than the entire target; and one or more detectors positioned to capture light reflected from the target into two or more spatial images of the target at two or more times, wherein the spatial images are used to distinguish between the target and the non-target.

Abstract: A sample moves, either naturally (as in the case of the heart) or by application of force, and its movement is measured. A processing unit calculates first displacement related information concerning a first direction of the object to be measured (the sample) by using data in either one of an increase period and a decrease period of the force applied to the objected to be measured, from data received by a first ultrasonic probe. In addition, the processing unit calculates second displacement related information concerning a second direction of the object to be measured by using data in the same period as that used to calculate the first displacement related information, from data received by a second ultrasonic probe.

Abstract: The present subject matter relates to in vivo volumetric bidirectional blood flow imaging using single-pass flow imaging spectral domain optical coherence tomography. This technique uses a modified Hilbert transform algorithm to separate moving and non-moving scatterers within a depth. The resulting reconstructed image maps the components of moving scatterers flowing into and out of the imaging axis onto opposite image halfplanes, enabling volumetric bidirectional flow mapping without manual segmentation.

Abstract: Medical devices, systems and methods for providing visualization as well as support and/or stability for blood vessels during procedures for inserting electrical leads are disclosed. One aspect of the device may include a longitudinal member having a distal end and a proximal end, an expandable element near the distal end of the longitudinal member for providing support to the blood vessel, and a contrast release port near the distal end of the longitudinal member for releasing a contrast medium into the blood vessel to visualize the blood vessel.

Abstract: An antenna includes an antenna layer, a ground layer and a dielectric layer between the antenna layer and the ground layer. The antenna layer and the ground layer form a figure in the shape of two identical mirror image triangles joined together at a longest side of each one of the triangles where each side of each triangle is a different length.