Abstract: The invention is a delivery catheter, e.g., a guide catheter, having an imaging element in proximity to the distal end of the catheter. Catheters of the invention are able to placement of the catheter in proximity to an ostium, thereby increasing the efficiency of contrast delivery while reducing the risk of ischemia due to blocked blood supply. The invention additionally assists in maintaining catheter position during delivery of a fluid from the catheter, resulting in better performance with less fluid. For example, a catheter of the invention can be used to produce improved fluoroscopic images with less overall contrast. This improvement reduces the risk of an allergic reaction to the contrast while decreasing the length of time for a procedure, i.e., because of a need to re-contrast.

Abstract: An instrument tracker includes a case having an interior and exterior with a plurality of instrument seats, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and a controller. The IMU and controller are arranged within the interior of the case and the controller is disposed in communication with the IMU and is responsive to instructions recorded on a memory to receive position information from the IMU, determine at least one of position and orientation of an instrument fixed relative to the case by the plurality of instrument seats using the position information received from the IMU, and transmit the at least one of position and orientation to a display device for displaying position and orientation of the instrument relative to a predetermined insertion path through a subject between an entry point on the surface of the subject and a region of interest within the interior of the subject. Instrument tracking systems and methods tracking position of instruments are also described.

Abstract: The inventions provided herein relate to injection applicators, tissue markers and uses thereof, e.g., to mark a target tissue site (e.g., a biopsy site in a breast tissue) or to produce a cell scaffold. The tissue markers described herein are designed to be resistant to fast migration (e.g., immediate migration after implantation through a needle track) and slow migration (e.g., over an extended period of time) upon implantation at a target tissue site (e.g., a biopsy site in a breast tissue), without using an adhesive. Additionally or alternatively, the tissue markers described herein can be readily detectable by at least one imaging modality, e.g., but not limited to magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray imaging, ultrasound imaging, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to an apparatus for determining alignment between a source device and a target device. The apparatus comprises the source device, the target device, and a processing system. The source device comprises a first spatially variant field generator for generating a first spatially variant electric field, and a second spatially variant field generator for generating a second spatially variant electric field, wherein the second spatially variant electric field is angularly offset with respect to the first spatially variant electric field. The target device comprises at least one sensor configured to detect a first signal from the first spatially variant electric field and a second signal from the second spatially variant electric field. The processing system is configured to determine alignment between the first source device and the target device based on the first and second signals from the first and second spatially variant electric fields by the target device.

Abstract: A magnetic tracking device includes a sensor configured to generate a sensor electromotive force (EMF). The device includes a mechanism configured to select between a first operating mode in which the sensor generates the sensor EMF when receiving the magnetic field and a second operating mode in which the sensor generates a reduced amount of the sensor EMF when receiving the magnetic field. An interconnecting circuit generates a parasitic EMF in each of the first operating mode and the second operating mode. The interconnecting circuit connects to a processing device which receives a first measurement for the first operating mode, the first measurement representing the sensor EMF and the parasitic EMF, receives a second measurement for the second operating mode, the second measurement representing the parasitic EMF, compares the first measurement and the second measurement, and determines an approximate value of the sensor EMF.

Abstract: Disclosed is a localizer system. The localizer system may be incorporated into a navigation system for tracking a tracking device. Generally, the localizer may include a transmitting coil array and a field shaping assembly.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an MRI-compatible robot comprising one or more fiducial markers, a first planar stage comprising a first joint configured to receive a surgical tool and a first mechanism configured to move the surgical tool, a second planar stage comprising a second joint configured to receive the surgical tool and a second mechanism configured to move the surgical tool, and wherein the second planar stage is generally parallel with the first planar stage.

Abstract: A system to detect a position of a cannula may include a cannula, which may include a distal tip and an inner lumen. Also, the system may include an optical fiber, which may be disposed within the inner lumen of the cannula and may include a first end, a second end, and a U-shaped portion disposed between the first end and the second end. The U-shaped portion may be at least proximate the distal tip. Further, the system may include a light emitter, which may be coupled with the first end of the optical fiber, and a light receiver, which may be coupled with the second end of the optical fiber. Moreover, the system may include an electronic processor. The electronic processor may be coupled with the light receiver and configured to detect a decrease in an intensity of light received at the light receiver.

Abstract: A cardiac device comprises a transmitter (10) arranged to transmit at least one wave, a probe (12) arranged to measure a shear wave caused by a wave coming from the transmitter (10), a detector (14) arranged to detect a systole phase in an electrocardiographic signal, and an estimator (16) arranged to determine, during at least one cardiac cycle, the propagation speed of a plurality of shear waves caused by the transmission of waves in several directions towards the heart of a patient, to determine using the detector (14) that which has a maximum propagation speed during the systole phase, and to derive an active cardiac stress response therefrom (160).

Abstract: Catheterization of the heart is carried out using a framework formed by a plurality of electrically conducting wire loops. The wire loops are modeled as polygons, each subdivided into a plurality of triangles. The wire loops are exposed to magnetic fluxes at respective frequencies, and signals read from the loops. Theoretical magnetic fluxes in the polygons are computed as sums of theoretical magnetic fluxes in the triangles thereof. The location and orientation of the framework in the heart is determined by relating the computed theoretical magnetic fluxes to the signals.

Abstract: A sensing system for determining the location and orientation of an object which comprises a magnetic tag. The sensing system comprises selection coils and interrogation coils. The selection coils are arranged to generate a spatially-varying DC magnetic field from which the location of the tag can be determined in use. At least some of the interrogation coils are arranged to generate one or more AC magnetic fields and at least some of the interrogation coils are arranged to receive harmonics, intermodulation products or time dependent variations of the AC magnetic fields, from which the orientation of the tag is determined in use.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for guiding the acquisition of an ultrasound image. A 3D ultrasound image is acquired by an ultrasound probe at a first position and an anatomical structure is identified within the 3D ultrasound image. A target imaging plane is estimated based on the identified anatomical structure and it is determined whether the target imaging plane is present within the 3D ultrasound image. If the target imaging plane is present, a displacement between a central plane of the 3D ultrasound image and the target plane is determined. If the displacement is below a predetermined threshold, the target imaging plane is extracted and if the displacement is above the predetermined threshold, an instruction to acquire a 3D ultrasound image with the ultrasound probe at a second position, different from the first position, is generated based on the displacement. The invention further provides a method for estimating a target imaging plane.

Abstract: A catheter system for accessing the central venous system through an occlusion in the neck region.

Abstract: A method of the present disclosure includes identifying, based on a reference image, a full motion range of a target, wherein the full motion range of the target defines a full internal target volume (ITV). The method further includes identifying a non-target object in a motion image or the reference image. The method further includes performing a volumetric alignment of the ITV and the non-target object. The method further includes modifying a non-target to target displacement vector based on the volumetric alignment. The method further includes tracking the target based on the modified non-target to target displacement vector.

Abstract: An endoscope insertion shape observation apparatus includes a processor, and the processor: detects a travelling direction of a first position detection member and a travelling direction of a second position detection member out of plural position detection members provided in an insertion portion inserted into a lumen of a subject, the first position detection member being provided on a distal end side of a bending portion of the insertion portion, the second position detection member being provided on a proximal end side of the bending portion; detects a stretch start timing in which the lumen starts stretching, based on detection results of the travelling directions and finds position coordinates of a predetermined position of the bending portion in the detected stretch start timing as a manual compression point; and causes a compression position display that indicates the position found as the manual compression point to be presented on a monitor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a catheter including an insertion tube and a first position sensor, a pusher including a second position sensor, and an expandable assembly including flexible strips disposed circumferentially around a distal portion of the pusher, with first ends of the strips connected to the distal end of the insertion tube and second ends of the strips connected to the distal portion of the pusher, the flexible strips bowing radially outward when the pusher is retracted, processing circuitry to receive a respective position signal from the first and second position sensors, compute location and orientation coordinates for the position sensors subject to a constraint that the position sensors are coaxial and have a same orientation, compute a distance between the computed location coordinates of the position sensors, and find position coordinates of the flexible strips responsively to at least the computed distance.

Abstract: To calculate a high-resolution coil sensitivity distribution that does not depend on a shape or a structure of a subject with high accuracy. An MRI apparatus of the invention includes: a measurement unit that includes a reception coil including a plurality of channels, a measurement unit that measures a nuclear magnetic resonance signal of a subject for every channel of the reception coil; and an image computation unit that creates an image of the subject by using a sensitivity distribution for every channel of the reception coil, and a channel image obtained from the nuclear magnetic resonance signal measured by the measurement unit for every channel. The image computation unit includes a sensitivity distribution calculation unit that calculates a sensitivity distribution on a k-space for every channel by using the channel images and a composite image obtained by combining the channel images.

Abstract: A skin diagnosing device includes an optical unit including: an optical system that uses OCT; an optical mechanism to guide light from the optical unit to skin to scan the skin; a loading device to apply predetermined deformation energy to the skin; a control computation unit to compute tomographic distribution of predetermined status values relating to the skin by controlling driving of the loading device and the optical mechanism and processing optical interference signals output from the optical unit in response to the driving, to compute an evaluation value of the skin based on the tomographic distribution; and a display device to display the evaluation value of the skin. The control computation unit computes the evaluation value by computing mechanical characteristics and a blood flow condition of the skin as the status values and associating the mechanical characteristics and the blood flow condition at a cross-sectional position of the skin.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to a system and method for operating a traction device to detect blood flow patterns in a subject for managing neuropathy related conditions through intraneural facilitation (INF). According to an embodiment, the INF system and method rely on the traction device for positioning the subject in one or more positions, and a processing device for processing intervening signals obtained by a probe positioned on the subject. The signals received from the probe may be used to determine a two dimensional (2D) plane blood flow pattern. Detected changes in the measured blood flow may be used to determine if further traction device positions are required to ensure that the intervening signals demonstrate normal blood flow patterns with improvements to the neuropathy condition. The 2D flow pattern may calculate at least one of Volume Flow (VF) and Pulsatility Index (PI) for each set of signals received.

Abstract: A movable tracking assembly for use with a navigated surgical system has a marked pin and a tracking sleeve that enables detection of axial and rotational movement. The tracking sleeve has a sensor that can detect movement relative to the marked pin and communicate that information to the surgical system. The tracking sleeve also has external trackers for use with an optical tracking camera.