Abstract: The invention relates to a registration system (13) for registering an optical shape system to an imaging system with an imaging device (2) like a radiation C-arm device with a tracking device (4) like an optical shape sensing tracking device. One or more optical cameras (27) are used to detect position information of a tracked object to register the shape coordinate system with that of the imaging system. The optical cameras are pre-calibrated with the imaging system, so that the detected position information in the camera system can directly be translated to the imaging system.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software and systems, and wired and wireless network communications to provide an interface between an organism and other computing machine-based entities, and, more specifically, to sensors that facilitate determination of a state of neural activity with which to associate data representing, for example, an intent and/or a command; to implementations of sensors under control to, for example, modify sensing characteristics to interpolate response signals spatially or temporally, or both, to facilitate determination of a state of neural activity; to the formation or implementation of a data model that includes, for example, data arrangements representative of at least neuronal activity to facilitate determination of a state of neural activity; and to mobile human-machine interface to facilitate control based on neuronal activity of an organism.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus including: a display configured to display a first ultrasound image showing an object; a user input device configured to receive a user input for selecting first and second depths in the first ultrasound image and setting different three-dimensional (3D) rendering properties with respect to the first and second depths; and a controller configured to generate a second ultrasound image showing a 3D volume of the object based on the set 3D rendering properties, wherein the display is further configured to display the generated second ultrasound image.

Abstract: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is performed with multiple emission energies. For quantitative or qualitative SPECT, the image formation process for emissions at different energy ranges is modeled (44, 46, 48, 50) separately. Different scatter, different attenuation, and/or different collimator-detector response models corresponding to different energy ranges are used in the reconstruction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a framework for facilitating image-assisted diagnostic evaluation. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, imaging parameters used in acquiring a treatment image of a portion of patient anatomy are automatically recorded during an imaging examination. The treatment image may indicate at least one location of at least one treated site. During a follow-up examination, a follow-up image of the portion of the patient anatomy may be automatically acquired using the recorded imaging parameters. To assist evaluation of treatment results, the treatment image with the indicated location of the treated site may be overlaid over the follow-up image.

Abstract: A method for generating a combined contrast medium and blood vessel representation of contrast-enhanced image data of breast tissue to be examined includes capturing first and second contrast-medium-influenced x-ray projection measurement data of the breast tissue with respective differing first and second x-ray energies. First and second image data sets are reconstructed based respectively on the first and second measurement data. A dual-energy image data set is ascertained based on the first and the second image data sets. A blood vessel image is ascertained based on at least one image data set. A blood vessel image is represented together with the dual-energy image data set in a combined contrast medium and blood vessel representation. An image data generating system is also provided.

Abstract: Ultrasonic imaging is performed by constructing spatial coherence images of a target having microbubbles in it. The basis for this approach is the observation that the spatial coherence of microbubbles differs from the spatial coherence of tissue and the spatial coherence of image noise. Therefore, imaging based on spatial coherence provides a way to suppress noise signals and tissue signals relative to the microbubble signals.

Abstract: A method of conditioning a soft tissue region or site of a patient prior to, during or after a fat grafting procedure, or any combination of these, has the steps of: activating an ultrasonic or acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit ultrasonic or acoustic shock waves; subjecting the soft tissue region or site to ultrasonic or acoustic shock waves stimulating the said soft tissue; wherein the emitted waves are focused or unfocused low energy acoustic shock waves or ultrasonic waves and wherein the soft tissue region or site underlies the patient's skin. The soft tissue region or site is one of a buttock, a breast or a scalp. The method of conditioning a soft tissue region or site further has the step of: treating the soft tissue region or site after conditioning and implanting or injecting viable fat cells in a fat grafting procedure.

Abstract: Minor traumatic brain injury is detected by operating (a) an image generator for presenting a visual stimulus having a predetermined movement across a visual field of a subject and (b) a sensor device for monitoring fast eye movement of the subject while the subject views the stimulus. The sensor device generates a signal encoding the subject's eye position. A computer or microprocessor operatively connected to the sensor device is configured for determining a magnitude for the fast eye velocity component.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging support apparatus for supporting imaging performed by an ultrasonic probe that acquires an ultrasonic image of a subject includes a specification unit configured to specify a position inside the subject in a three dimensional image, an identification unit configured to identify a position on a body surface of the subject based on the specified position, and a display control unit configured to display a position where the ultrasonic image acquired by the ultrasonic probe is captured and the identified position on a display unit.

Abstract: A method of performing a photoacoustic physio-chemical analysis is provided. The method includes performing one or more photoacoustic scans on a tissue to generate a plurality of photoacoustic signals. The photoacoustic signals are transformed into a frequency domain to form a power spectra. The method also includes generating a two dimensional (2D) physio-chemical spectrogram from the power spectra. A probe for performing a photoacoustic physio-chemical analysis is also provided.

Abstract: A photoacoustic device comprises a light source configured to generate first and second lights; an irradiation unit configured to generate a first acoustic wave from an object including a contrast agent by irradiating the object with the first light, and then bleach the contrast agent by irradiating the object with the second light and generate a second acoustic wave from the object by irradiating the object with the first light after bleaching; a receiving unit configured to output a first signal upon receiving the first acoustic wave and output a second signal upon receiving the second acoustic wave; and an acquisition unit configured to acquire first information based on the first signal, and acquire second information based on the second signal.

Abstract: Techniques are described for determining cognitive impairment, an example of which includes accessing a set of epochs of magnetoencephalography (MEG) data of responses of a brain of a test patient to a plurality of auditory stimulus events; processing the set of epochs to identify parameter values one or more of which is based on information from the individual epochs without averaging or otherwise collapsing the epoch data. The parameter values are input into a model that is trained based on the parameters to determine whether the test patient is cognitively impaired.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for treatment of atrial fibrillation. Certain embodiments provide methods of assessing a risk of thromboembolic stroke in a patient. The method comprises acquiring image data and determining an indicator of a degree of fibrosis of a patient's left atrium (LA) based on the image data. A treatment modality is then determined and administered to the patient based on the analysis of the image data.

Abstract: An optical fiber guides light output from a light source to an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a light guiding section that guides the light from a light input end, which is optically coupled with the optical fiber to a light output end provided in the vicinity of ultrasonic transducers. The light guiding section has a first light guiding portion that includes the light input end, and a second light guiding portion that includes the light output end. The first light guiding portion is formed by glass, and magnifies input light. The second light guiding portion is formed by resin, and emits the light toward a subject from the light output end.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing phase-sensitive optical coherence tomographic (PS-OCT) measurements involving the vibrographic response of an acoustic stimulus. Detected signals are processed to provide sampled time-dependent vibrographic data characterizing a vibratory amplitude and phase response over one or more periods of the acoustic stimulus. The sampled time-dependent vibrographic data is processed to suppress the sinusoidal signal component associated with the acoustic stimulus, thereby providing a residual data associated with noise. The residual data is processed to obtain an estimate of the motion noise, and the motion noise is subtracted from the sampled time-dependent vibrographic data in order to provide noise-corrected vibrographic data. The noise-corrected vibrographic data can be processed to obtain one or more vibrographic measures and/or one or more images.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a cine buffer in which image frames produced during an examination are stored. A processor is programmed to select one or more image frames from the cine buffer for presentation to an operator for approval and inclusion in a patient record or other report. The operator can accept the proposed image frames or can select one or more other image frames from the cine buffer. The processor may select image frames at spaced intervals in the cine buffer for presentation. Alternatively, the processor compares image frames in the cine buffer with one or more target image frames. Image frames that are similar to the target image frames are presented to the operator to confirm. Alternatively, image frames can be selected by the processor that contain a specific feature or that are similar to image frames that were previously selected by the operator when performing a particular type of examination.

Abstract: An ultrasound signal processor uses an excitation generator to cause displacement of a membrane or surface while a series of ultrasound pulses are applied to the membrane or surface. Phase differences between a transmitted signal and received signal are examined to determine the movement of the membrane or surface in response to the applied excitation. An examination of the phase response of the membrane or surface provides a determination as to whether the fluid type behind the membrane or surface is one of: no fluid, serum fluid, or purulent fluid.

Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus for heart diffusion imaging, when an ECG trigger signal by a computer that operates an MR scanner, the MR scanner is operated to acquire a navigator echo before a stimulated echo sequence, in order to detect diaphragm position information. When the first diaphragm position information is not located in an acquisition window, the stimulated echo sequence is not executed, and the computer waits to receive the next ECG trigger signal. The detection time of the navigator echo after the stimulated echo sequence as well as the acquisition time of the stimulated echo sequence, are thus eliminated when the first diaphragm position information does not meet requirements, so can significantly reduce scanning time, and increase the image SNR.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging apparatus (10) for segmenting an anatomical object in a field of view (29) of an ultrasound acquisition unit (14) is disclosed. The ultrasound imaging apparatus comprises a data interface (32) configured to receive a two-dimensional ultrasound data (30) of the object in the field of view in an image plane from the ultrasound acquisition unit and to receive a three-dimensional segmentation model (46) as a three-dimensional representation of the object from a segmentation unit (36). An image processor (34) is configured to determine a two-dimensional segmentation model (50) on the basis of the three-dimensional segmentation model and a segmentation plane (48), wherein the segmentation plane and an image plane of the two-dimensional ultrasound data correspond to each other.