Abstract: The present invention provides for the detection and display of polarization scrambling tissue without resolving the polarization state of the backscattered imaging beam. In one embodiment, we illuminate the tissue using two different polarizations. A first polarization determines a first image of high intensity while the second polarization determines a second image of low intensity. Comparison and combination of the first and second images determines tissue which scrambles the polarization in neighboring detection cells.

Abstract: In a magnetic resonance device having a PET unit for acquiring positron emission tomography data and a gradient coil, the PET unit includes a carrier tube on which at least one PET detector is arranged. In at least one embodiment, the carrier tube is arranged inside the gradient coil and is displaceably mounted in such a way that access to the PET detector is made possible by its displacement. This allows easy access to the PET detector during maintenance activities.

Abstract: A brain imaging system can be operated to obtain brain image signals indicating activity at brain locations, and information can be extracted from the brain image signals. For example, for each of a set of living human brain regions that can have two or more possible activity features such as qualia features, feature values can be obtained indicating activity features of the region. The feature values can be more explicit than brain image data indicating activity at brain locations. A data structure can be produced that includes data indicating extracted information, such as qualia value data for a quale activity feature that can occur in a region. Such a data structure can be stored on a storage medium and used in diagnosis and/or treatment of detrimental conditions of consciousness.

Abstract: A transducer is used to send an ultrasound pulse toward a stone and to receive ultrasound reflections from the stone. The recorded time between a pulse that is reflected from the proximal surface and a pulse that is reflected either from the distal surface of the stone or from a surface supporting the stone is used to calculate the stone size. The size of the stone is a function of the time between the two pulses and the speed of sound through the stone (or through the surrounding fluid if the second pulse was reflected by the surface supporting the stone). This technique is equally applicable to measure the size of other in vivo objects, including soft tissue masses, cysts, uterine fibroids, tumors, and polyps.

Abstract: The present invention includes an integrated system and methods for patient treatment, the system includes a hospital bed; a plurality of patient diagnostic and treatment devices connected to a network, wherein each of the devices can communicate to a network and exchange information with the network about the care of a patient; and a processor accessible adjacent to the bed and connected to the network to integrate information obtained from the devices through the network with one or more additional sources of information databases, wherein the processor can communicate to one or more patient treatment devices either directly or via the network and the processor directs the one or more patient treatment devices to change the treatment of the patient.

Abstract: Methods for enhancing ultrasonic reflection imaging are taught utilizing a split-step Fourier propagator in which the reconstruction is based on recursive inward continuation of ultrasonic wavefields in the frequency-space and frequency-wave number domains. The inward continuation within each extrapolation interval consists of two steps. In the first step, a phase-shift term is applied to the data in the frequency-wave number domain for propagation in a reference medium. The second step consists of applying another phase-shift term to data in the frequency-space domain to approximately compensate for ultrasonic scattering effects of heterogeneities within the tissue being imaged (e.g., breast tissue). Results from various data input to the method indicate significant improvements are provided in both image quality and resolution.

Abstract: During shock wave therapy, a determination is made that a kidney stone has begun to fracture, and then a progress of its fragmentation is assessed. This determination can reduce the number of shock waves used to disintegrate kidney stones, and thereby reduce dose-dependent tissue damage. The identification of fracture is possible through the detection and analysis of resonant acoustic scattering, which is the radiation caused by reverberations within a stone particle that is struck by a shock wave. The scattering frequency can provide both an indication that the kidney stone has fragmented, and an indication of the relative sizes of the fragments. Related concepts employ displacement measurements of kidney stones/fragments to provide both an indication that the kidney stone has fragmented, and an indication of the relative sizes of the fragments. Such techniques can be combined with vibro-acoustography based gating that better targets the stone.

Abstract: The invention relates to a correction method for correcting interference due to gradient injections in ECG signal data records recorded in a magnetic resonance device by an ECG measuring device. A first correction data record is determined with the ECG measuring device located in a first position. A second correction data record is determined by the ECG measuring device located in a second position. An ECG signal data record is measured by the ECG measuring device located in a defined position. A modified correction data record is defined as a function of the first correction data record and the second correction data record and the first and second position and the defined position of the ECG measuring device. The ECG signal data record is corrected based on the modified correction data record.

Abstract: A bias gate part supplies a bias current to a transmission pulse generator. The transmission pulse generator receives the supply of the bias current, amplifies an input voltage, and supplies an output voltage obtained by the amplification to array transducer elements. In accordance with the timing of transmitting ultrasound waves from the array transducer elements and the level of the output voltage supplied to the array transducer elements, the bias gate part supplies the bias current to the transmission pulse generator while changing the timing of supplying the bias current.

Abstract: A rotary medical manifold, for delivering various fluids through a patient delivery mechanism is described. The rotary manifold can include a manifold body and a valve stem. The manifold body can include a central cavity, an output port, a first fluid port, and a second fluid port. The valve stem can include an injector port, and a single central fluid passage. The valve stem can be adapted to slidably engage the central cavity of the manifold body and provide selective fluidic connectivity between the injector port and the output port, the first fluid port and the second fluid port.

Abstract: Adaptive volume rendering is provided for medical diagnostic ultrasound. The opacity of B-mode data is set relative to the opacity of Doppler data. The opacities for the different types of data are set as a function of ray depth. For example, the opacity of B-mode data near a tissue border is set to be more opaque than for tissue away from the border, and the opacity for flow data near a flow border is set to be less opaque than for flow away from the border. An image is rendered using a rendering parameter set as a function of ray depth, B-mode information and Doppler information. Other processes for enhancing and/or using rendering may be used.

Abstract: A locking syringe with an integrated bias member, for delivering medical fluids at high pressure, can include a housing, a shaft, a piston, a cap assembly, a bias member, and a locking member. A distal end of the housing can interface with a patient delivery apparatus. A piston can be connected to the distal end of the shaft and can include a peripheral sealing surface that can slidably engage the inside surface of the housing to form a movable seal. The cap assembly at the proximal end of the housing can engage the shaft. A base cap can secure the piston within the housing. The bias member can have a distal end coupled to the piston and a proximal end restrained, such as to help pressurize the internal cavity. The user-actuatable locking member can user-selectively engage and inhibit unwanted movement of the shaft.

Abstract: A medical device includes a control interface for operating the medical device in a hands-free mode. To control the medical device in a hands-free mode, the control interface includes multiple proximity sensors, each sensor associated with a level of adjustment. For example, a sensor located on a top portion of the medical device is used to increase the level of adjustment. And similarly, a sensor located on a bottom portion of the medical device is used to decrease the level of adjustment. The magnitude of the level of adjustment applied to a parameter of the medical device is controlled based at least in part on the length of time an object remains in proximity to a respective sensor. In one embodiment, the longer the object is held over a respective sensor the more adjustment the control interface will make to the parameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to non-fouling hydrophobic reflective surfaces for a variety of applications which in one embodiment related to medical device applications comprises a method of performing a medical procedure using a surgical navigation system which includes the steps of placing one or more reflective spheres on a surgical instrument or apparatus, the reflective spheres comprising a hydrophobic coating on a sub-micron structured surface of the spheres, wherein the spheres substantially maintain their reflective properties after the spheres are contacted with a biological fluid; shining light on the reflective spheres; capturing reflected light from the spheres with a camera or other device; and registering and/or tracking a location and/or position of the spheres.

Abstract: When delivering a therapy to a patient, such as a drug to a brain of a patient, an optimized delivery point can be selected. The optimized point can be based on physics, physiology, and pharmacology. The optimized point can be used for planning a surgical navigation procedure.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing pulmonary hypertension from phase-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) images includes providing a time series of one or more magnetic resonance (MR) flow images of a patient's mediastinum during one or more cardiac cycles, segmenting the pulmonary artery within each image of the times series of images, identifying the anterior wall and pulmonary valve within the segmented pulmonary artery, analyzing blood flow during a diastolic phase of the one or more cardiac cycles to determine a relative duration of blood flow, tstreamlines, during the diastolic phase, analyzing blood flow during a latter portion of a systolic phase and a subsequent diastolic phase of the one or more cardiac cycles to detect the presence and duration tvortex of a vortex, and diagnosing the presence of pulmonary hypertension from tstreamlines and tvortex.

Abstract: A medical system and method for treating a disorder of a subject by thermal ablation, e.g., focused ultrasound thermal ablation, are provided. The method includes obtaining medical images that include at least one image of subject's chest and ribs to reconstruct a three-dimensional chest-rib distribution; and applying ultrasound waves on a target point beyond the subject's ribs by selectively activating one or more elements of an ultrasound phased array to avoid ultrasonic energy absorption or reflection by an intervening rib based on a calculation of a relationship between the three-dimensional chest-rib distribution and an acoustic emission direction.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes a measurement unit configured to irradiate three types of ultrasonic waves and light upon a test region in a test object, and to measure modulated light and non-modulated light, the modulated light being modulated by an acousto-optical effect, and a signal processor configured to calculate a modulation depth that is an intensity of the modulated light divided by an intensity of the non-modulated light for the one, and at least one of a scattering characteristic and an absorption characteristic of the test region in the test object by utilizing a first change rate of the modulation depth to an amplitude of the one or an amount corresponding to the first change rate, and a second change rate of the modulation depth to a frequency of the one or an amount corresponding to the second change rate.

Abstract: Vibration sources are applied to a body or other object to image a region of interest. The mechanical vibrations introduced by the sources interfere in the region of interest to produce a crawling wave, which is detected by an ultrasound probe A relationship between crawling wave phase derivatives and local shear wave velocity is derived with phase derivatives estimated using either one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) autocorrelation-based techniques to image the region of interest.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the detection and display of polarization scrambling tissue without resolving the polarization state of the backscattered imaging beam. In one embodiment, we illuminate the tissue using two different polarizations. A first polarization determines a first image of high intensity while the second polarization determines a second image of low intensity. Comparison and combination of the first and second images determines tissue which scrambles the polarization in neighboring detection cells.