Abstract: A biopsy marker having a spring-loaded anchor. The biopsy marker includes an insertion orientation and an anchored orientation. The lateral span/cross-sectional area of the marker is configured to change when transitioning between the insertion orientation and the anchored orientation. In an embodiment, the spring-loaded anchor is configured to spring about a predefined rotational axis. An embodiment of the biopsy marker may be comprised of a single wire construction.

Abstract: A device for generating a projected image based on an activity related parameter includes a first sensor for detecting the activity related parameter, a second sensor for detecting an orientation of the device, a processor coupled to the first sensor for creating information from the detected activity related parameter, a light source for emitting a light beam from the device to project the created information as an image onto a surface outside the device and at least a first actuator for adjusting a relative direction of the light beam with respect to the detected orientation of the device. The surface outside the device is a ground surface and a distance between the device and the projected image is a function of the detected activity related parameter.

Abstract: A system for calibration-free cuff-less evaluation of blood pressure is proposed. The system includes an ultrasound-based arterial compliance probes and a controller unit connected to the said probe. The ultrasound transducers measure the change in arterial dimensions, pulse wave velocity, and other character traits of an arterial segment over continuous cardiac cycle, which is then used to evaluate blood pressure parameters without any calibration procedure using dedicated mathematical models.

Abstract: A medical image diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes obtaining circuitry, detecting circuitry, deriving circuitry, and controlling circuitry. The obtaining circuitry is configured to obtain image data of a patient. The detecting circuitry is configured to detect each of a plurality of sites of the patient from the image data. The deriving circuitry is configured to derive information about a structuring member in the patient, on the basis of a detection result obtained by the detecting circuitry. The controlling circuitry is configured to determine an injection condition for a contrast agent to be administered to the patient for a contrast-enhanced scan, on the basis of the information about the structuring member.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for analyzing images from a magnetic resonance (MR) system. The device includes at least one hardware processor coupled with a storage system accessible to the at least one hardware processor. The device further includes a display in communication with the at least one hardware processor. The device receives a plurality of non-contrast MR images in a region of interest (ROI). The device obtains blood flow signals from the plurality of non-contrast MR images. The device identifies an abnormal segment by analyzing the blood flow signals. The device displays the non-contrast MR images by a highlighted segment in at least one of the non-contrast MR images to indicate the abnormal segment on the display.

Abstract: A brain volume (BV) calculation method includes obtaining a first set of medical images at a first time point and a second set of medical images at a second time point, each set including at least two medical images. First and second algorithms may be used to calculate, respectively, first and third BV values at the first time point based on two or more images from the first set of medical images, and second and fourth BV values at the second time point based on two or more images from the second set of medical images. A mathematical weight may be applied to at least one of the first to fourth BV values. The first and third BV values may be averaged, and the second and fourth BV values may be averaged to determine overall BV values at the first and second time points, respectively.

Abstract: Methods to quantify motion of a human or animal subject during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam are provided. In particular, these algorithms make it possible to track head motion over an extended range by processing data obtained from multiple cameras. These methods make current motion tracking methods more applicable to a wider patient population.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a storage and a control unit. The storage stores transmission/reception conditions for a first ultrasound probe among a plurality of ultrasound probes. Upon receipt of a second switching instruction to switch a second ultrasound probe to the first ultrasound probe after a first switching instruction to switch the first ultrasound probe to the second ultrasound probe, the control unit applies the transmission/reception conditions stored in the storage to the first ultrasound probe when the time between the first switching instruction and the second switching instruction is less than a predetermined time.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe includes: a casing; a plurality of piezoelectric devices that are arranged inside the casing; an acoustic matching layer that is attached to ultrasound radiation surfaces of the piezoelectric devices; a shared ground that is arranged on a surface of the acoustic matching layer to allow at least a part of the shared ground to come in contact with the piezoelectric devices; a deformation preventing member that is arranged in contact with the surface of the acoustic matching layer to surround an outer periphery of the piezoelectric devices and to be separated from the piezoelectric devices; a coaxial line configured to transmit a signal to each of the piezoelectric devices; and a circuit board that is arranged on an opposite side to the ultrasound radiation surfaces of the piezoelectric devices, the circuit board being configured to electrically connect the piezoelectric devices and the coaxial line.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising at least one light source, at least one photodetector, a first layer of optical material configured to embed the at least one light source, and a second layer of optical material configured to embed the at least one photodetector. The first and second layer of optical material are configured to guide light from the at least one light source and to prevent the light from the at least one light source directly reaching the at least on photodetector, and the second layer of optical material is configured to guide light towards the at least one photodetector.

Abstract: An ultrasound processing system includes an ultrasound interface and processing electronics. The ultrasound interface receives imaging information. The processing electronics are coupled to the ultrasound interface and are configured to utilize the ultrasound imaging information to use time-varying frame selection to estimate strain so that the processing electronics perform the time-varying frame selection by comparing a single frame to a plurality of previous frames and selecting a single comparison set for each frame for strain estimation.

Abstract: Systems and methods generally relate to identifying ultrasound images from multiple ultrasound exams. The systems and methods identify a first ultrasound image feature of a current ultrasound image of an anatomical structure during a current ultrasound exam based on ultrasound data received from an ultrasound probe, and accessing a plurality of prior ultrasound images that were acquired during a prior ultrasound exam. The systems and methods compare the first ultrasound image feature in the current ultrasound image with related ultrasound image features in the plurality of prior ultrasound images to identify candidate ultrasound images. The systems and methods identify a resultant ultrasound image from the candidate ultrasound images based on the related ultrasound image features, and display the current and resultant ultrasound images on a display.

Abstract: A diagnosis support system includes a calculator configured to calculate position information indicating a positional relationship between a biological sensor and a predetermined region of a measurement target; and an extractor configured to extract, from biological information already diagnosed, biological information that is associated with position information, which is similar to the position information calculated by the calculator.

Abstract: An ultrasound exposure safety processor is configured for spatially relating respective definitions of an imaging zone, and an extended dead-tissue zone that includes both a dead-tissue zone and a surrounding margin. Based on whether a push pulse focus is to be within the extended dead-tissue zone, the processor automatically decides a level of acoustic power with which the pulse is to be produced. If the pulse focus is to be within the extended dead-tissue zone, the pulse may be produced with a mechanical index (MI), a thermal index (TI), and/or a spatial-peak-temporal-average intensity (IspTA) that exceeds respectively 1.9, 6.0 and 720 milliwatts per square centimeter. The imaging zone may be definable interactively to dynamically trigger the deciding and the producing, with push pulse settings being dynamically derived automatically. A display of multiple push pulse sites allows user manipulation of spatial definition indicia to dynamically control displacement tracking.

Abstract: An MRI apparatus in which, when a quantitative value, which does not depend on imaging parameter values, is computed from a plurality of image data having different pixel values that are acquired by performing imaging the plurality of times with different imaging parameter values in the same pulse sequence, pixel values which are acquired from the imaging parameter values are predicted for each of a plurality of predetermined quantitative-value candidate group, and an initial value of the quantitative value is selected from the quantitative-value candidate groups with reference to the predicted pixel values. The optimal quantitative value is computed through a localized optimization technique using the selected initial value.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a positioning system in a radiation therapy system which includes a radiation therapy unit having a fixed radiation focus, includes irradiating a calibration tool having at least one reference object, capturing at least one two-dimensional image including cross-sectional representations of reference objects of the calibration tool and determining image coordinates of the representation of each reference object. Based on the reference objects' image coordinates, positions of the reference objects in the stereotactic coordinate system relative to an origin of the calibration tool and the position of the origin of the calibration tool relative to the imaging unit, a position difference between the position of the calibration tool in the stereotactic coordinate system and a position of the calibration tool in an imaging system coordinate system including a translational and rotational position difference is calculated.

Abstract: Methods and systems for registering a manipulator assembly and independently positionable surgical table are provided herein. In one aspect, methods include attaching a registration device to a particular location of the surgical table and attaching a manipulator arm of the manipulator assembly to the registration device and determining a position and/or orientation of the surgical table relative the manipulator assembly using joint state sensor readings from the manipulator arm. In another aspect, methods for registration include tracking of one or more optical or radio markers with a sensor associate with the manipulator assembly to determine a spatial relationship between the surgical table and manipulator assembly.

Abstract: Reconstruction of projection images of a CBCT scan is performed by generating simulated projection data, comparing the simulated projection data to the projection images of the CBCT scan, determining a residual volume based on the comparison, and using the residual volume to determine an accurate reconstructed volume. The reconstructed volume can be used to segment a tumor (and potentially one or more organs) and align the tumor to a planning volume (e.g., from a CT scan) to identify changes, such as shape of the tumor and proximity of the tumor to an organ. These changes can be used to update a radiation therapy procedure, such as by altering a radiation treatment plan and fine-tuning a patient position.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system and a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system. A memory stores: instructions, pulse sequence commands for an acoustic radiation force imaging protocol, and first and second sonication commands. The pulse sequence commands specify acquisition of the MR data for first and second pulse sequence repetitions. The pulse sequence commands specify for each of the sequence repetitions a first and a second group of motion encoding gradients. Execution of the instructions causes a processor to: acquire first and second MR data by controlling the MR imaging system with the pulse sequence commands and by controlling the HIFU system with the first and second sonication commands, respectively; reconstruct first and second motion encoded images from the first and second MR data, respectively; and construct a displacement map from the difference of the first and second motion encoded images.

Abstract: A method of locating a tool or device uses vision driven navigation augmented by inertial guidance. The vision navigation is in reference to fiducial markers in a room viewed by cameras mounted on the tool or device. The cameras calculate the location of the tool or device based on the fiducial markers. The combination of a camera fiducial location and inertial guidance assures knowing the tool's location and orientation regardless of interruption of line-of-sight. Using combined guidance provides a more robust and precise tool or device location and pointing. MEMS sensors and smart phone cameras can be used to make compact tools or devices.