Abstract: Methods and systems for treating sleep apnea using electrical stimulation to a patient's upper and/or lower respiratory nerve or muscle are described. A stimulation regimen can be used to achieve upper airway patency and/or rhythmic air flow in a coordinated fashion during sleep. In some cases, diaphragm activity is monitored to determine whether sufficient upper airway patency and/or rhythmic air flow is achieved and maintained. The stimulation regimen may be adjusted based on the diaphragm activity. In some cases, the system includes modularized components so that the components can be customized to an individual's needs.

Abstract: For non-invasive EP mapping, a sparse number of electrodes (e.g., 10 in a typical 12-lead ECG exam setting) are used to generate an EP map without requiring preoperative 3D image data (e.g. MR or CT). An imager (e.g., a depth camera) captures the surface of the patient and may be used to localize electrodes in any positioning on the patient. Two-dimensional (2D) x-rays, which are commonly available, and the surface of the patient are used to segment the heart of the patient. The EP map is then generated from the surface, heart segmentation, and measurements from the electrodes.

Abstract: An intracardiac pacemaker device, comprising a housing that is configured to be implanted entirely within a ventricle (V) of a heart (H), an electronic module for generating pacing pulses, a battery for supplying energy to the electronic module, an elongated lead extension protruding from the housing, at least a first electrode arranged on the elongated lead extension, and a pacing electrode and a return electrode for applying the pacing pulses to cardiac tissue, wherein the pacing electrode is arranged on the housing. The electronic module is electrically coupled to the pacing electrode via the housing, and wherein the electronic module is configured to carry out measurements of electrical activity via the at least one first electrode of the elongated lead extension.

Abstract: Radiofrequency (RF) coil unit and a housing for the RF coil unit is provided. The RF coil unit can include a substantially annular body having a concave indent along a longitudinal direction along the substantially annular body such that when a head of the patient is inserted into an interior of the substantially annular body, at least a portion of the head of the patient is viewable and accessible from a location exterior to the substantially annular body. The housing for the RF coil unit can include a channel to receive the RF coil unit of a MRI device. The housing can enclose regions with high voltages (e.g., 1000 Volts) and/or separate these regions from patient body parts by, for example, including insulating material, thereby enhancing a safety of the patient.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for use with electrophysiological signal detecting electrodes, and a transcranial magnetic stimulation device. A computer processor drives the transcranial stimulation device to apply one or more pulses of transcranial magnetic stimulation to a subject. Within a given time period of applying one of the one or more pulses of transcranial magnetic stimulation to the subject, the computer processor detects an electrophysiological signal of the subject, using the electrophysiological signal detecting electrodes. At least partially in response thereto, the computer processor predicts an outcome of treating the subject for a neuropsychiatric condition, using a given therapy, and generates an output on an output device in response to the predicted outcome. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Disclosed is a skin treatment needle by which energy is supplied into skin tissue to increase the speed of skin regeneration. The skin treatment needle includes a needle body that is formed of a conductive material and inserted into skin, starting from a front end thereof. A region of an outer circumferential surface of the needle body includes a conductive portion which is a region inducing an electric field different from those formed at other portions of the needle body, and the conductive portion includes a plurality of corrugations to cause an electric field formed via the conductive portion to have a uniform distribution without being biased and concentrated to a side.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for providing summary information for lifesaving activities is disclosed. The method involves sensing one or more activities that are repeatedly and cyclically performed on a victim by a rescuer; identifying a cyclical timing interval over which performance is to be analyzed fora integer number of cycles of the one or more activities, and gathering data from the sensing of the one or more activities during the time interval; generating, from analysis of the one or more activities, summary data that condenses data sensed for the one or more activities into a summary of the one or more activities; and providing, for display to a user, a visual summary of the performance of the one or more activities over the identified time interval.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to medical device systems including electric field shaping elements for use in treating cancerous tumors within a bodily tissue. In an embodiment, a medical device system for treating a cancerous tumor is described. The medical device system can include one or more electric field generating electrodes and an electric field shaping element configured to be implanted along with the one or more electric field generating electrodes. The electric field shaping element can be made from a material that alters the spatial area of tissue exposed to the electric field. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: A skin treatment device includes: an RF generator configured to generate an RF output; and an applicator being of a bipolar type and including an applicator body and needles, wherein the needles are arranged on a front surface of the applicator body, inserted into a dermal layer of the skin of a person to be treated and electrically connected to the RF generator to transmit the RF output, wherein, when the applicator is turned on, the applicator transmits a single or a plurality of RF pulses according to the RF output to the person to be treated, and the RF output is 5 W or more and 13 W or less, and a frequency of the RF output is greater than 1 MHz and less than 3 MHz, and a duration of the RF pulse according to the RF output is 50 ms or more and 100 ms or less.

Abstract: A local stimulation method of a predetermined region of brain tissue, the brain tissue including at least GABAergic neuron type. The method includes at least one activation step of a set of bipolar electrodes, according to a predetermined electric intensity and a predetermined biphasic pulse frequency, delivering a predetermined electric field. The predetermined electric field induces an activation of the GABAergic type neurons and a virtual absence of activation of other types of neurons.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention relates to a process for intra-operatively providing anatomical guidance in endocrine surgery. In one embodiment, the process includes the steps of illuminating tissues in the neck area of a living subject with a beam of light having a predetermined wavelength, obtaining Raman data from light scattered from the illuminated tissues, finding Raman signatures corresponding to thyroid or parathyroid tissues from the obtained Raman data, and identifying the thyroid or parathyroid tissues from the corresponding Raman signatures.

Abstract: A computerized method is disclosed for detecting a brain region with neurodegenerative change and also a brain region with vascular change in the brain of a patient and also an imaging arrangement suitable for this.

Abstract: A multispectral nevoscope that uses specific wavelengths in the visible and infrared spectrum of electromagnetic radiation to transilluminate a skin-lesion or a biological tissue or specimen for imaging and maps multispectral 2-dimensional images into 3-dimensional virtual space for providing 3-D distributions of pre-defined parameters representing the characteristic properties (such as melanin, hemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin, etc.) of a skin lesion. Methods are disclosed for analyzing and using the characteristic distributions of specific parameters for detection and management of skin-cancers, or characterization of a biological tissue or specimen.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic diagnostic device S according to the present invention, a reference signal generation unit 30 generates a reference signal to be used in correlation processing based on a direct reception signal obtained by receiving a first ultrasonic signal prior to being transmitted to a subject. Consequently, the ultrasonic diagnostic device S configured in this manner is able to generate a more suitable reference signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic image generating device which generates a cross-sectional image of a specific cross-section of a subject from ultrasonic images obtained by scanning the subject from a plurality of directions using an ultrasonic probe, includes: a cross-section position identifying unit which obtains cross-section information indicating a position and an orientation of the specific cross-section; a positional information obtaining unit which obtains positional information including a position and an orientation of each of the ultrasonic images of the subject; a reference image selecting unit which selects at least one of the ultrasonic images as a reference image, the at least one of the ultrasonic images having a distance from the specific cross-section that is less than a first threshold and an orientation difference from the specific cross-section that is less than a second threshold; and a cross-sectional image generating unit which generates the cross-sectional image using the reference image.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus capable of reducing an unnecessary signal component in a reception signal. A plurality of sign bits arranged in the channel direction are extracted from a plurality of element reception signals. A binarization circuit applies binarization processing to the plurality of sign bits to thereby generate a sign data array. An evaluation value computing unit computes an evaluation value (GSCF) based on a DC vicinity component contained in the sign data array on the frequency axis. This evaluation value is used to adjust the gain of the reception signal in a multiplier. With application of the binarization processing, excessive reduction of the reception signal can be prevented. Further, as the DC vicinity component is referenced, the side-lobe component can be appropriately reduced even if a certain degree of fluctuation exists in the main-lobe component.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method, system, and device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium. The novel method includes transmitting a non-beamformed or beamformed ultrasound wave into the medium, receiving more than one echoed ultrasound wave from the medium, and converting the received echoed ultrasound wave into digital data. The novel method may further transmit the digital data. In some embodiments, the transmitting may be wireless. The novel device may include transducer elements, an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the transducer elements, and a transmitter in communication with the analog-to-digital converter. The transducers may operate to convert a first electrical energy into an ultrasound wave. The first electrical energy may or may not be beamformed. The transducers also may convert an echoed ultrasound wave into a second electrical energy.

Abstract: An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a method for non-invasively determining the functional severity of arterial stenosis in a selected portion of an arterial network. The method includes gathering patient-specific data related to concentration of a contrast agent within an arterial network using a coronary computed tomography angiography scan (CCTA). The data can be gathered under rest or stress conditions. Estimation of a loss coefficient (K) can be used to eliminate the need for data gathered under stress. The data is used to calculate a transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG). The data may be corrected for imaging artifacts at any stage of the analysis. TAFE is used to determine an estimate of flow velocity. Once velocity is determined, pressure gradient, coronary flow reserve, and/or fractional flow reserve can be determined through a variety of methods. These estimates can be used to estimate functional severity of stenosis.

Abstract: A memory alloy is used during manufacture of a transducer. The memory of the alloy may correct for deviations or bending during manufacture, such as a superelastic alloy returning an array to a flat state after being twisted during handling. The memory of the alloy may cause a desired change in array geometry during manufacture, such as a shape memory alloy twisting an array into a curved or helix due to applied heat. The array may be fixed in place by the memory alloy or bonding after positioning by the memory alloy, preventing further substantial alteration.

Abstract: A method of creating an ultrasound image includes receiving a return signal from a time delayed signal emitted from a plurality of transducer elements at a target the return signal comprising a measurement at each of the plurality of transducer elements formed from a plurality of reflections off of a plurality of volume elements forming a two dimensional slice of a target, computing a Van-Cittert Zernike (VCZ) curve for each of the plurality of volume elements based upon the measured return signals and creating an short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) image comprising a plurality of pixels each associated with one of the plurality of volume elements wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises a value computed from a metric of the VCZ curve computed for each of the associated plurality of volume elements.