Abstract: An endovascular navigation system and method are disclosed. The endovascular navigation system includes an elongate flexible member, a endovascular electrogram lead disposed at a distal end of the elongate flexible member and configured to sense an endovascular electrogram signal, a processor and an output device. The processor is configured to receive the endovascular electrogram signal, to determine a peak amplitude of a P-wave in the endovascular electrogram signal, and to determine that the position of the distal end of the elongate flexible member is within a predetermined structure within the venous vasculature of the patient. The output device is configured to display a visual indication that the distal end of the elongate flexible member is within the predetermined structure within the venous vasculature of the patient, where the visual indication is different from the endovascular electrogram signal of the venous vasculature of the patient.

Abstract: An endovascular navigation system and method are disclosed. The endovascular navigation system includes an elongate flexible member, a endovascular electrogram lead disposed at a distal end of the elongate flexible member and configured to sense an endovascular electrogram signal, a processor and an output device. The processor is configured to receive the endovascular electrogram signal, to determine a peak amplitude of a P-wave in the endovascular electrogram signal, and to determine that the position of the distal end of the elongate flexible member is within a predetermined structure within the venous vasculature of the patient. The output device is configured to display a visual indication that the distal end of the elongate flexible member is within the predetermined structure within the venous vasculature of the patient, where the visual indication is different from the endovascular electrogram signal of the venous vasculature of the patient.

Abstract: A wearable patch is provided for use on the body which preferably comprises an ultrasound sensor array, a transmission system coupled to the ultrasound sensor array adapted to provide signal information for ultrasound transmission into the body, and a receiver system coupled to the ultrasound sensor array adapted to receive signal information from the reflected ultrasound signal received from the body. A control circuitry is coupled to the transmission system and the receiver system. The patch is preferably provided with a wireless communication system to permit external control and or communication. Applications range from diagnostics and monitoring, to rehabilitation and wound healing.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for determining a position includes a transducer device (102) configured to receive signals from a console (104) and generate images based upon reflected waves. A flexible cable (108) is coupled to the transducer device to provide excitation energy to the transducer device from the console. An optical fiber (110) has a shape and position corresponding to a shape and position of the cable during operation. A plurality of sensors (122) is in optical communication with the optical fiber. The sensors are configured to measure deflections and bending in the optical fiber such that the deflections and bending in the optical fiber are employed to determine positional information about the transducer device.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a time-varying fluorescence emitted from a fluorescent agent from within a diffuse reflecting medium with time-varying optical properties is disclosed that includes providing at least two measurements obtained from a patient before and after administration of the fluorescent agent that includes an Flrmeas signal detected adjacent to the medium by a filtered light detector during illumination of the medium by excitatory-wavelength light, and at least one DR signal selected from: a DRexmeas DRem, and DRem,filtered signal. The method further includes identifying a post-equilibration portion of the measurement data set and transforming each Flrmeas signal within the post-equilibration portion of the measurement data set to an IFagent signal representing a detected fluorescence intensity emitted solely by the fluorescent agent from within the medium.

Abstract: Ultrasonic imaging apparatus or techniques can include obtaining at least an approximation of samples of reflected ultrasonic energy and constructing a representation of an imaging plane within the tissue region. Such apparatus or techniques can include separately determining, for respective focusing locations respective first sums of at least approximated complex samples of reflected ultrasonic energy obtained via respective first lines of transducers, and separately determining, for the specified focusing location, a second sum of at least some the respective first sums of at least approximated complex samples of reflected ultrasonic energy, the second sum corresponding to a second line of transducers in the ultrasonic transducer array. The separately determining the first or second sums of at least approximated complex samples can include phase-rotating at least some of the complex samples. The second line of transducers can be orthogonal to respective first lines in the transducer plane.

Abstract: A method comprises identifying connected anatomical structures in stored images of a patient anatomy and generating a plurality of cylindrical linkage elements representing the connected anatomical structures. The method also comprises receiving tracking data corresponding to a point on an instrument positioned within at least one of the connected anatomical structures; and matching the point on the instrument to one of the plurality of cylindrical linkage elements.

Abstract: A surgical instrument is separable into a transducer unit and a lower body portion. The lower body portion includes a waveguide and a casing. The transducer unit includes a transducer and a geared mechanism operable to couple the transducer to the waveguide. In some versions the geared mechanism includes bevel gears coupled to a rack and pinion such that linear motion may be used to rotatably couple a transducer to a waveguide. The rack gear may further include a handle extending out of the transducer unit casing to be actuatable by a user. The rack gear may also be flexible or rigid. In other versions, the bevel gears may be coupled to a threaded shaft that is operable to translate the transducer into the waveguide to form an interference fit. The transducer unit may also include a slide lock mechanism to couple to the casing of the lower body portion.

Abstract: An intravascular imaging system includes a transducer capable of generating raw data representative of the structure of a patient's vasculature. The system includes an imaging engine for receiving the raw data and generating enhanced data for presentation to a user. The imaging engine includes a coherence filter, an envelope detection module having one or more envelope detectors, and a spatial filter for processing data in various stages. Such stages of processing in the imaging engine act to reduce high frequency noise, generate low frequency data, reduce low frequency noise, and display low frequency data with an improved signal-to-noise ratio. The system can include an image generator for generating an image based on enhanced data and a display for displaying the generated image.

Abstract: A diagnosis aiding apparatus and method to provide diagnosis information is provided. The diagnosis aiding apparatus includes an information display unit configured to display a reference cross-section of an image, display diagnosis information belonging to the reference cross-section, and display diagnosis information corresponding to a different cross-section within the reference cross-section displayed.

Abstract: High-accuracy magnetic measurement is performed by efficiently using nitrogen-vacancy pairs in all orientations. A magnetic measurement apparatus includes a diamond crystal and an image sensor. The diamond crystal has nitrogen-vacancy pairs. The image sensor detects the intensities of fluorescence generated by an exciting light applied to the diamond crystal by using a plurality of pixels. The nitrogen-vacancy pairs of the diamond crystal are made to one-to-one correspond to the pixels. The fluorescence generated by one nitrogen-vacancy pair is received by one pixel made to correspond to the nitrogen-vacancy pair.

Abstract: A system for ultrasound interrogation of a lung including a memory, an electromagnetic (EM) board, an extended working channel (EWC), an EM sensor, a US transducer, and a processor. The memory stores a three dimensional (3D) model and pathway plan for navigating a luminal network. The EM board generates an EM field. The EWC is configured to navigate the luminal network toward a target following the pathway plan. The EM sensor extends distally from a distal end of the EWC and is configured to sense the EM field. The US transducer extends distally from a distal end of the EWC, generates US waves, and receives US waves reflected from the luminal network. The processor processes the sensed EM field to synchronize a location of the EM sensor in the 3D model, to process the reflected US waves to generate images, or to integrate the generated images with the 3D model.

Abstract: A system for ultrasound interrogation of a lung includes a memory, an electromagnetic (EM) board, an extended working channel (EWC), an EM sensor, a US transducer, and a processor. The memory stores a three dimensional (3D) model, a pathway plan for navigating a luminal network. An EM board generates an EM field. The EWC is configured to navigate the luminal network of a patient toward a target following the pathway plan and the EM sensor extends distally from the EWC and senses the EM field. The US transducer extends distally from a distal end of the EWC and generates US waves and receives US waves reflected from the luminal network and the processor processes the sensed EM field to synchronize a location of the EM sensor in the 3D model, to process the reflected US waves to generate images, or to integrate the generated images with the 3D model.

Abstract: An occlusion and/or reopening of an artery of a body caused by a changing pressure applied on the artery is detected. The systolic blood pressure of an artery of a body is also measured. A Doppler Ultrasound transducer attached to the exterior of the body outputs a blood flow signal indicative of a change of the blood flow in the artery caused by the changing pressure. At least one variable of a first variable indicative of the magnitude of the blood flow and a second variable indicative of the periodicity of the blood flow is derived from the blood flow signal. The occlusion and/or reopening of the artery is detected on the basis of the at least one variable. In this way, the occlusion/reopening of the artery can be detected automatically. Since the need to manually detect the occlusion and reopening of the artery by listening with a stethoscope or a Doppler probe is eliminated, the detecting result is more predictable and repeatable, and therefore also more accurate.

Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to generating and analyzing light. Spatial light response around a human fingertip in response to electrical stimulation is associated with the status of various body organs. A system that provides a particularized response indication based on spatial light response includes a camera, an electrical signal generator, a light source, a circuit, and a computer. The signal generator stimulates emission of light from the finger when the finger is at a position relative to the camera. The light source illuminates the finger at the position. The circuit activates the light source and the camera to obtain a first image of the finger at the position, activates the signal generator and the camera to obtain a second image of the emission of light from the finger at the position, determines a direction from the first image, determines a centroid from the second image, and determines a description of the second image in accordance with the direction and the centroid.

Abstract: A system for imaging a biological sample including a tubular body having a side wall defining an interior shaped and sized for receiving the biological sample, an electromagnetic source positioned at one end of the tubular body interior for directing electromagnetic energy into the biological sample in the body interior, and an ultrasonic transducer positioned along said side wall of the body for receiving ultrasonic energy induced by the electromagnetic energy and transmitted through the biological sample.

Abstract: An MRI apparatus includes an imaging data acquiring unit and a blood flow information generating unit. The imaging data acquiring unit acquires imaging data from an imaging region including myocardium, without using a contrast medium, by applying a spatial selective excitation pulse to a region including at least a part of an ascending aorta for distinguishably displaying inflowing blood flowing into the imaging region. The blood flow information generating unit generates blood flow image data based on the imaging data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (12) for obtaining a vital sign of a subject (14), comprising an interface (22) for receiving a set of image frames (24) of a subject (14), a signal extraction unit (26) for extracting a photoplethysmographic (PPG) signal of the subject (14) from said set of image frames (24), a signal evaluation unit (28) for determining a feature of said PPG signal indicative of the information content of the extracted PPG signal with respect to a desired vital sign of the subject (14), a processing unit (30) for determining a binning configuration based on the determined feature of the extracted PPG signal, said binning configuration being provided for controlling binning of image pixels of an image frame; and a vital signs determination unit (32) for determining vital sign information from the extracted PPG signal.

Abstract: A method of tracking a medical instrument comprises receiving a model of an anatomical passageway formation and receiving a set of ordered sensor records for the medical instrument. The set of ordered sensor records provide a path history of the medical instrument. The method further comprises registering the medical instrument with the model of the anatomical passageway formation based on the path history.

Abstract: A computerized method of generating a map of myelin tissue of a brain is described. In addition sub-maps of different myelin contents can be imaged. The method uses a simulation model comprising at least two interacting tissue compartments.