Abstract: The present invention is directed to an ultrasound system capable of providing a plurality of M-mode images corresponding to M-mode lines without moving a probe. A volume data forming and reconstructing unit of the present invention forms volume data based on the ultrasound echo signals, the volume data forming and reconstructing unit being configured to determine a beat period of the moving object and reconstruct the volume data based on the beat period. A processor forms at least one reference image based on the reconstructed volume data and one or more M-mode images corresponding to one or more M-mode lines set on the reference image. A display unit displays the reference image, the M-mode lines and the M-mode images.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to biopsy needle guidance which employs an x-ray/gamma image spatial co-registration methodology. A gamma camera is configured to mount on a biopsy needle gun platform to obtain a gamma image. More particular, the spatially co-registered x-ray and physiological images may be employed for needle guidance during biopsy. Moreover, functional images may be obtained from a gamma camera at various angles relative to a target site. Further, the invention also generally relates to a breast lesion localization method using opposed gamma camera images or dual opposed images. This dual head methodology may be used to compare the lesion signal in two opposed detector images and to calculate the Z coordinate (distance from one or both of the detectors) of the lesion.

Abstract: An optical three-dimensional structure measuring device including: optical three-dimensional structure information storing device (91) for storing optical three-dimensional structure information; specific layer extracting device (121) for comparing information values of the optical three-dimensional structure information stored in the optical three-dimensional structure information storing device with a predetermined threshold and extracting, as a specific layer area of the measurement target, an area equal to or greater than a predetermined range where the information values of the optical three-dimensional structure information equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold continue; missing area extracting device (122) for extracting, as missing areas, areas where the information values of the optical three-dimensional structure information are smaller than the predetermined threshold in the specific layer area; missing area range calculating device (123) for calculating sizes of ranges of the missin

Abstract: A method and system for producing an image of a subject with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, in which the presence of a contrast agent is detected using a spin-lock pulse sequence, is described. More specifically, a contrast agent that induces saturation of magnetic resonance signals responsive to a spin-lock condition is administered to a subject. A spin-lock condition is subsequently established to saturate spins in proximity to the contrast agent. Image data is then acquired with an imaging pulse sequence and images indicative of the presence of the contrast agent are reconstructed.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for multi-spectral imaging of tissue to obtain information about the distribution of fluorophores and chromophores in the tissue. Using specific spectral bands for illumination and specific spectral bands for detection, the signal-to-noise ratio and information related to the distribution of specific fluorophores is enhanced as compared to UV photography, which uses a single RGB image. Furthermore, the chromophore distribution information derived from the multi-spectral absorption images can be used to correct the fluorescence measurements. The combined fluorescence, absorption, and broadband reflectance data can be analyzed for disease diagnosis and skin feature detection.

Abstract: An ultrasonic medical device can include a transducer, a coupling system, and a waveguide. The coupling system can be configured to attach and adequately torque the waveguide to the transducer for use in a medical procedure. The coupling system can be configured to detach the inner probe from the transducer upon completion of the medical procedure.

Abstract: A breast coil arrangement for magnetic resonance applications has a placement web that allows an examination subject to lie with her sternum on the placement web with each breast in a receptacle respectively on opposite sides of the placement web. The breast receptacles have limiting elements whose spacing from one another can be adjusted. Multiple array coils are respectively arranged in the limiting elements and are stationary relative to the limiting elements. Each breast receptacle is surrounded by a volume coil that is stationary relative to the placement web. The volume coils are arranged centrally and orthogonally relative to the array coils and surround the array coils. The volume coils are decoupled from the array coils. A spectroscopy phantom can be arranged in proximity to the placement web.

Abstract: Provided is an organic piezoelectric material which has excellent piezoelectric property, heat resistance property in particular. An ultrasonic oscillator, which is to be used for an ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging device which can receive high frequencies at high sensitivity and is suitable for harmonic imaging techniques, a method for manufacturing such oscillator, and an ultrasonic probe are also provided. The ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging device is provided by sing such oscillator, method and probe. The organic piezoelectric material is characterized by containing empty particles having an average particle diameter of 10 ?m or less.

Abstract: A skull endosseous module for ultrasound penetration is provided and includes a fixation sleeve permanently inserted and positioned in a drilled hole of a skull, a movable sleeve movably inserted in the fixation sleeve for providing a hollow ultrasound guiding channel; and an outer cover mounted on an outer opening of the fixation sleeve and covered by a scalp tissue. Thus, an ultrasound device outside the scalp tissue can generate ultrasounds to pass through the outer cover and the ultrasound guiding channel for affecting a target region of a brain tissue in the skull.

Abstract: The present invention is a multi-wavelength diagnostic imager. In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus and method for noninvasive evaluation of a target versus a non-target, comprising: one or more light sources having at least one emission spectra directed at the target wherein the position, orientation and intensity of light sources is varied to control near-surface reflectance and are directed at less than the entire target; and one or more detectors positioned to capture light reflected from the target into two or more spatial images of the target at two or more times, wherein the spatial images are used to distinguish between the target and the non-target.

Abstract: A technique for an ultrasonographic device that can obtain respective rendering images for a plurality of regions of a 3D space is disclosed. According to the technique, a transmission beam former generates an ultrasonic beam for scanning a plurality of regions of interest and drives a matrix array. When a reception beam former generates a plurality of beam forming signals, respectively corresponding to the regions of interest, in accordance with reception signals of the matrix array generated by reflection wave from the respective regions of interest, a signal processing unit processes the beam forming signals and, with a viewpoint set for each of the regions of interest as a standard, generates respective rendering images of the plurality of regions of interest. A display unit displays the rendering images in parallel. A control unit carries out setting of the plurality of regions of interest and the viewpoints, by an external operation.

Abstract: Among other things, a gastrostomy tube including a feeding tube that spans between an outer retention device and an inner retention device is disclosed. Embodiments of the inner retention device include an ultrasonic marker positioned within the inner retention device. The inner retention device and the ultrasonic marker have a variety of shapes or embodiments. The ultrasonic marker positioned in the inner retention device eliminates or reduces the use of fluoroscopy or endoscopy to position and later verify the location of the gastrostomy tube in a patient. Beneficially, the health risks associated with fluoroscopy and endoscopy are thereby eliminated or reduced with their associated disuse thereof. Moreover, the use of expensive hospital suites or operating rooms is eliminated or reduced with the use of portable ultrasound equipment that can be transported to a patient's bedside for verification of the location of the ultrasonic marker.

Abstract: There is provided a method for determining the concentration of a fluorophore in a medium using moments of order k of the fluorescence signal. The method allows higher fidelity 3-dimensional reconstructions of the fluorophore in the medium. The method can be applied in imaging of fluorophores in biological tissues.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for fiducial-less tracking of a volume of interest (VOI) have been presented. In some embodiments, a pair of intra-operative images of a portion of a patient is generated during treatment of a target region in the patient to show a bony structure of the patient. The bony structure shown is movable responsive to respiration of the patient. Then the pair of intra-operative images is compared with a set of digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) pairs, generated from volumes of four-dimensional (4D) diagnostic imaging data, to determine a location of the movable bony structure that corresponds to a particular volume of the 4D diagnostic imaging data.

Abstract: An MR Spectroscopy (MRS) system and approach is provided for diagnosing painful and non-painful discs in chronic, severe low back pain patients (DDD-MRS). A DDD-MRS pulse sequence generates and acquires DDD-MRS spectra within intervertebral disc nuclei for later signal processing and diagnostic analysis. An interfacing DDD-MRS signal processor receives output signals of the DDD-MRS spectra acquired and is configured to optimize signal-to-noise ratio by an automated system that selectively conducts optimal channel selection, phase and frequency correction, and frame editing as appropriate for a given acquisition series. A diagnostic processor calculates a diagnostic value for the disc based upon a weighted factor set of criteria that uses MRS data extracted from the acquired and processed MRS spectra for multiple chemicals that have been correlated to painful vs. non-painful discs. A display provides an indication of results for analyzed discs as an overlay onto a MRI image of the lumbar spine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for precisely reproducing the position of a vaginal cylinder in relation to a patient to ensure that a planned radiation dose can be delivered with high precision to the intended treatment target volumes. Treatment delivery is carried out by using an image-guided system to locate the position of the vaginal cylinder and comparing it to the coordinate of the vaginal cylinder obtained in the treatment plan. The displacement in the position of the vaginal cylinder from the treatment plan is corrected by calculating the transformation matrix and entering the resulting value into a position adjusting assembly which is attached to vaginal cylinder. The position adjusting assembly adjusts the vaginal cylinder to exactly reproduce its location relative to the patient's anatomy, eliminating geometric and dosimetric error.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a storing section in which information concerning a drug movement in a living body is stored for each of types of a plurality of fluorescent drugs, an arithmetic processing section that acquires, based on the information stored in the storing section, information concerning a target region to which a fluorescent drug is administered, information concerning a method of administering the fluorescent drug to the target region, and information indicating start of administration of the fluorescent drug, information concerning diagnosis start timing, an image pickup section, a position information acquiring section that acquires position information of the image pickup section, and a light source control section that stops, at least from the administration start timing to the diagnosis start timing, irradiation of excitation light and irradiates the excitation light based on the diagnosis start timing and the position information.

Abstract: A composite image is produced for use in HYPR processing a current image frame. The amount of a priori data used to form the composite is determined by the amount of subject motion. The current composite image may be spatially registered with the current image frame to offset subject motion before being used to form an updated composite image. Subject motion may be analyzed on a frame-by-frame basis, a region-by-region basis or a pixel-by-pixel basis to optimize the SNR of the updated composite image.

Abstract: A measuring system for receiving acoustic waves and producing image data includes an acoustic wave receiver that detects acoustic waves which are generated by irradiating a specimen with pulsed light. The acoustic wave receiver converts the detected acoustic waves into an electric signal, and an image forming apparatus generates image data by using the electric signal. An artifact attributable to a band of an acoustic wave receiver is distinguished and reduced based on the positional relationship among respective voxel data representing an actual image and a reflected image of a light absorber located within the specimen and related artifacts, as viewed on the image data, by utilizing an acoustic wave reflecting surface on which the specimen is disposed.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring ganglion cells may include: a light generation unit configured to irradiate a first light signal polarized in a first direction and a second light signal polarized in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to a subject; a reflected light processing unit configured to generate an amplification signal corresponding to an image of the subject using a first reflection signal, which is the first light signal reflected from the subject, and a second reflection signal, which is the second light signal reflected from the subject; and an image processing unit configured to measure ganglion cells in the subject using the amplification signal. The apparatus may be used to count the number of normal ganglion cells in the retina by measuring a phase difference of two lights polarized in different directions. The apparatus may also be used to monitor the progress of glaucoma.