Patents Examined by Sanjay Cattungal
  • Systems and methods for imaging plural axial locations
    Patent number: 9763631
    Abstract: An imaging system is provided including a gantry, a bed, nuclear medicine (NM) imaging detectors, and a processing unit. The NM imaging detectors are disposed about the bore of the gantry. The processing unit is operably coupled to the imaging detectors, and is configured to acquire first NM imaging information of the object with the imaging detectors in a first axial position, iteratively actuate the gantry in a series of steps between the first axial position and the second axial position, acquire additional NM imaging information of the object at each of the steps, and reconstruct an image of the object using the first NM imaging information and the additional NM imaging information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yaron Hefetz, Jonathan Sachs, Gil Kovalski, Avi Bar-Shalev
  • Intravascular devices, systems, and methods
    Patent number: 9750458
    Abstract: Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the intravascular devices include at least one electronic, optical, or electro-optical component positioned within a distal portion of the device and one or more connectors positioned at a distal portion of the device. In some instances, the connectors are flexible coils, such as a ribbon coil, formed of a conductive material. In some particular instances, the conductive coil is embedded within a polymer tubing. Further, in some embodiments the electronic, optical, or electro-optical component is positioned within a flexible element at the distal portion of the device. In some instances the flexible element is a coil. Methods of making and/or assembling such intravascular devices/systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Volcano Corporation
    Inventor: David H. Burkett
  • Method and device to examine a tissue sample
    Patent number: 9750484
    Abstract: In a method and an apparatus to exam a tissue sample, a female breast is compressed in an x-ray imaging apparatus and a biopsy procedure is conducted to extract a tissue sample from the compressed breast, with the extraction taking place using images generated by the x-ray imaging system. While the breast is still compressed, the extracted tissue sample is transported to a region outside of the extraction location that is irradiated by x-rays from the x-ray source of the imaging apparatus, and is irradiated at that region by the x-ray source in order to generate 3D data from a radiation detector that are used to reconstruct a data set of slice images from common projections of the extraction region and the tissue sample. The reconstructed slice images are then displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ilka Finke, Daniel Fischer
  • Ultrasound guided robot for flexible needle steering
    Patent number: 9743996
    Abstract: A robotic system for flexible needle steering under ultrasound imaging. A robot is used to steer the needle along a predetermined curved trajectory by maneuvering the needle base. The needle tip position is detected by an ultrasound sensor and the tracking error of the needle tip from a predetermined needle path is input to a controller which solves the inverse kinematic based on the needle position, and the needle and tissue properties. The control algorithm uses a novel method to detect the elastic properties of the tissue by analyzing tissue motion at the region in front of the needle tip. The inverse kinematic solution may be performed on a model of the needle as a flexible beam having laterally connected virtual springs to simulate lateral forces exerted by the tissue elasticity. The system is able to direct the needle to a target within the tissue while circumventing forbidden regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TECHNION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION LTD.
    Inventors: Zipi Neubach, Moshe Shoham
  • Measuring method of life activity, measuring device of life activity, transmission method of life activity detection signal, or service based on life activity information
    Patent number: 9743837
    Abstract: According to a measuring method or a control method of life activity, a life object is illuminated with an electromagnetic wave including a wavelength in a designated waveband, and a characteristic in a local area of the life object is detected, or a life activity thereof is controlled. This “local area” is an area constituted by one or more cells. The “designated waveband” is defined based on any one of the following phenomena: [1] transition energy between a ground state of a vibration mode newly occurring between atoms in a constituent molecule of a cell membrane and a plurality of excited states; [2] transition energy between vibration modes occurring between specific atoms in a molecule corresponding to the activity of the life object or the change thereof; and [3] a specific chemical shift value in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventor: Hideo Ando
  • Methods and systems for automatic control of subjective image quality in imaging of objects
    Patent number: 9743911
    Abstract: The present invention relates to method and system for automatic control of image quality in imaging of an object using, for example, an ultrasound system. The method comprises transmitting image generating signals into the object using selected system parameter sets of the imaging system. The imaging system has a number of different system parameter sets based on an image ranking measure reflecting a subjective expert opinion of a pre-defined set of images. The captured images are analyzed with respect to at least one image quality feature to determine an image quality metric for each image. The respective image quality metric for each image are analyzed to identify an image associated with a highest image quality metric and the system parameter set used for generating the image associated with the highest image quality metric can be selected as system parameter set for imaging of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: CONTEXTVISION AB
    Inventors: Martin Hedlund, Gunnar Farnebäck, Martin Kempe, Sharok Kimiaei, Peter Kövamees
  • Multi-bed elastic motion correction
    Patent number: 9730664
    Abstract: A set of first modality data (e.g., MR or CT) is provided. The set of first modality data comprises a plurality of mu-maps, a plurality of motion vectors and a plurality of gated data. Each of the mu-maps corresponds to one of the beds. A set of second modality data (e.g., PET/SPECT) is provided. The set of second modality data comprises a plurality of frames for each of the beds. Each of the plurality of frames is warped by one or more motion vectors of the plurality of motion vectors. A single-bed image is generated for each bed by summing the frames corresponding to the bed. A whole body image is generated by summing the single-bed images for each of the beds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventors: Girish Bal, Matthias Fenchel, William Curtis Howe, Frank Kehren
  • Photoacoustic measurement device and probe for photoacoustic measurement device
    Patent number: 9730588
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to reduce the size of a probe for a photoacoustic measurement device. A light guide 71 is arranged such that one of a two side surfaces 71a is closer to a probe axis C which faces a subject than the other side surface and a light emission end surface 71c is closer to the probe axis C than a light incident end surface 71b when the probe is used. When a refractive index of the light guide 71 with respect to the light is n1 and a refractive index of a medium around the light guide with respect to the light during photoacoustic measurement is n2 (n2<n1), the light emission end surface 71c is obliquely formed such that an angle ?[°] (where 90°?arcsin(n2/n1)<?<90°) is formed between the light emission end surface 71c and the side surface 71a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Takeya Abe
  • Ultrasound imaging system and an ultrasound imaging method
    Patent number: 9730675
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasound imaging system and an ultrasound imaging method for improving the imaging quality of the desired imaging plane in the volume of interest of a subject. According to the present invention, it is possible to directly scan the desired imaging plane by exploiting the capability of a 2D matrix ultrasound transducer and/or the flexibility of the position/orientation of the ultrasound probe. In some cases, the setting parameters of the transducer elements can be adjusted so that the ultrasound signal transmitted from the transducer elements is able to derive ultrasound echo data of the desired imaging plane without moving the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Yinhui Deng, Xiaomin Li, Xiaolin Gu, Vijay Thakur Shamdasani, Ying Wu
  • Method for measuring intracranial elasticity
    Patent number: 9724068
    Abstract: A novel method to noninvasively measure intracranial pressure (ICP) and more generally brain elasticity is disclosed. ICP is determined using an algorithm coupled on a simulated artificial neural network (SANN) that calculates ICP based on a determination of a set of interacted ultrasound signals (IUSs) generated from multiple ultrasound pulses. The methods and systems of the present invention are capable of rapidly determining ICP without manual review of EPG waves by a technician.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Inventor: Arthur Rappaport
  • Identifying kidney stone composition from medical imaging
    Patent number: 9706970
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining the composition of a kidney stone from a medical image. A feature extractor is configured to provide a plurality of features from the medical image. The plurality of features includes either a pair of an attenuation values including a first attenuation value from a first location in or on the kidney stone and a second attenuation value from a second location in or on the kidney stone or a function of the first and second attenuation values. The second location is spatially distinct from the first location. A classifier is configured to select one of a plurality of classes for the kidney stone from the plurality of features. Each class represents a specific constituent material. A user interface is configured to display the class to a user in a human comprehensible form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
    Inventors: Manoj Monga, Giovanni S. Marchini
  • Holder for double loop coil for MCP images
    Patent number: 9700231
    Abstract: A holder for a local coil for an imaging system such as a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) hand coil holder is provided. The MRT hand coil holder has recesses in side parts of the holder. A hand of a patient may be positioned between the side parts. The recesses in the side parts of the holder are each configured to accommodate at least one local coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Dominik Paul
  • Detection system for detecting magnetic objects in the human organism
    Patent number: 9696279
    Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a detector system for detecting magnetic bodies in the human organism, which comprises at least two sensor assemblies, wherein each sensor assembly has one, two or three anisotropic magnetic resistance sensors, of which the axes of weak magnetization point in different directions in pairs, and each sensor assembly has a spacing of 0.5 to 50 cm from the sensor assembly or the other sensor assemblies, and at least two sensor assemblies are tilted at an angle of 0 to 45° with respect to one another, and in addition a method for detecting the magnetic flux produced by a magnetic body in the human organism, and the use of the detector system according to the invention for detecting swallowed magnetic bodies and the disintegration of the same in the digestive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Evonik Roehm GmbH
    Inventors: Benedikt Hartwig, Peter Niepoth, Steffen Junginger, Hans-Joachim Stiller, Norbert Windhab, Gerhard Geipel
  • Needle device with an optical fiber integrated in a movable insert
    Patent number: 9687156
    Abstract: A needle device includes a hollow shaft, an elongated insert and an operating lever. The hollow shaft has a first distal end portion with a bevel, the elongated insert has a second distal end portion and is movably arranged within the hollow shaft, and the operating lever is shiftable between a first condition and a second condition. Furthermore, the operating lever is interconnected with the elongated insert such that the second distal end portion is located within the hollow shaft and proximally to the bevel when the operating lever is in the first condition, and that the second distal end portion is located outside the hollow shaft and distally to the bevel when the operating lever is in the second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Waltherus Cornelis Jozef Bierhoff, Bernardus Hendrikus Wilhelmus Hendriks, Franciscus Marinus Antonius Maria Van Gaal
  • Systems for ultrasound beam forming data control
    Patent number: 9671491
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which efficiently control storage of and/or access to data which includes repetitive data or data which is used by different modes, processes, etcetera. Embodiments provide control for storage of and/or access to large amounts of data used in ultrasound system beam forming for image generation using a hierarchy of sequencers for controlling storage of and/or access to data. A frame sequencer may provide control at a frame level while an address sequencer is implemented to provide control at a data access level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Little, Thomas Duffy, Justin Coughlin
  • Surgical needle for a surgical system with optical recognition
    Patent number: 9668819
    Abstract: A system for image-guided surgery may include a visual imaging system, a medical tool comprising a shaft and a tip, wherein the shaft of the tool includes an optically detectable feature that allows a position of the tip to be determined, and a display configured to display a real-time representation of the medical tool including the position of the tip regardless of whether the tip is obstructed or visible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: CLEAR GUIDE MEDICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Philipp Jakob Stolka, Pezhman Foroughi, Matthew C. Rendina, Gregory Donald Hager, Emad Mikhail Boctor
  • Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus
    Patent number: 9662091
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which includes a probe including a transducer installed to be rotatable, a driving device configured to rotate the transducer, at least one wire configured to transmit power of the driving device to the transducer, a handle case configured to accommodate the driving device therein, a cap coupled to the handle case to accommodate the transducer therein, and filled with oil, and a diaphragm formed of a deformable material and disposed between the cap and the handle case, wherein the wire is installed to pass through the diaphragm, and fixed to the diaphragm so that the diaphragm is deformed according to movement of the wire. Since the wire is fixedly installed to pass through the diaphragm and deformed according movement of the wire, oil in the cap is prevented from leaking to the handle case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG MEDISON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Won Soon Hwang, Gil Ju Jin
  • Probe
    Patent number: 9662020
    Abstract: An acoustic wave detector that detects an acoustic wave from a subject, an optical fiber that guides light emitted from a light source to a probe body, and a light guide member that guides light from a light entrance end, which is optically coupled to the optical fiber, to a light exit end, which is located in the vicinity of the acoustic wave detector, are provided. The light guide member is secured in the probe body with a securing material provided at least partially around the light guide member. The conditional expression below is satisfied: sin?1(n2/n1)×(180°/?)<90°??i where n1 is a refractive index of the light guide member, n2 is a refractive index of the securing material, and ?i is a spread angle of incoming light from the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kaku Irisawa, Takeya Abe
  • Early therapy response assessment of lesions
    Patent number: 9655563
    Abstract: For therapy response assessment, texture features are input for machine learning a classifier and for using a machine learnt classifier. Rather than or in addition to using formula-based texture features, data driven texture features are derived from training images. Such data driven texture features are independent analysis features, such as features from independent subspace analysis. The texture features may be used to predict the outcome of therapy based on a few number of or even one scan of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: David Liu, Shaohua Kevin Zhou, Martin Kramer, Michael Sühling, Christian Tietjen, Grzegorz Soza, Andreas Wimmer
  • Subject information acquisition apparatus
    Patent number: 9655589
    Abstract: Viscoelastic characteristics in a subject are imaged by a simple method. A viscoelasticity measurement reference layer whose elastic modulus and viscosity coefficient are known is included between an ultrasonic wave transmitting/receiving probe and the subject and distributions of elastic modulus and viscosity coefficient inside the subject are calculated from a change over time of strain generated in the viscoelasticity measurement reference layer and the subject according to a pressure applied to the subject which changes over time and known elastic modulus and viscosity coefficient of the viscoelasticity measurement reference layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Oikawa, Kenichi Nagae, Makoto Yamakawa, Tsuyoshi Shiina