Abstract: A system and method for assessing coupling of a lead to tissue are provided. The inventive system includes a lead body with an electrode and a fixation element disposed near a distal end of the lead body. The fixation element is configured to anchor the distal end of the lead body in the tissue. The system further includes a meter configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of energy between the electrode and the fixation element. The amount of energy may comprise capacitance or inductance between the electrode and the fixation element. The system further includes an electronic control unit configured to determine a degree of coupling between the lead and the tissue responsive to the signal.

Abstract: A medical tool includes a location sensor at a distal end. While the tool is being maneuvered to a desired region of interest, a control unit records a first location reading obtained according to an output from the sensor when requested by a user, indicative of when a patient's anatomy constrains free movement of the tool in at least one degree of freedom. Once the tool has reached the region of interest, the control unit records a second location reading according to the sensor output indicative of a current location. A relaxation shape of the tool forms a shape constraint on the tool shape reconstruction. The control unit determines a reconstruction representing the current shape of the tool based on the positional constraints and the shape constraint. The reconstruction is graphically superimposed on an image of the region of interest.

Abstract: An apparatus for displaying a moving region of interest located within a body includes a positioning system to determine a position and orientation (P&O) of a medical device as well as to track, using an internal position reference sensor, the motion of the region of interest over time. A compensation function block generates a motion compensation function based on the motion of the region of interest, which is configured to compensate for the motion of the region of interest between a first time, for example a time at which an image was acquired and a second time, for example a time at which a P&O of the device was measured. The measured P&O is corrected using the compensation function. A representation of the medical device is superimposed on the image in accordance with the corrected P&O.

Abstract: A tool dislodgement detection apparatus includes an MPS outputting position and orientation (P&O) readings for determining tool motion. A control generates an alarm based on the tool motion and dislodgement criteria. The criteria includes whether the tool motion meets a condition based on the type of medical procedure or tool, the tool parking position, a patient characteristic (e.g., age, weight, gender) or a physician preference. The criteria includes when the correlation between the tool motion and the cardiac, respiration and patient motion changes abruptly. In a prolapse detection apparatus, guidewire tip P&O readings determine a tip motion vector. The control generates an alarm using the motion vector and predetermined criteria. The criteria include a substantial change in the tip orientation not accompanied by a corresponding position change and a change in the motion vector by about 180° accompanied by a corresponding position change no greater than a threshold.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping a volume of an anatomical structure includes a processor for computing a contour of a medical device as a function of positional and/or a shape constraints, and to translate the contour into known and virtual 3D positions. The processor is configured to determine a spatial volume based on a virtual position, and to render a 3D representation of the spatial volume. A method and system of mapping a surface of an anatomical structure includes a processor configured to obtain an image of the structure. The processor is further configured to receive a signal indicative of a medical device contacting the surface of the anatomical structure, and to determine a position of the device upon when contact has been made. The processor is configured to superimpose marks on the image indicative of a contact points between the device and the structure.

Abstract: A technique for testing peer nodes in a multicast domain (such as an access network) interconnected with an Ethernet network via an Intermediate Bridge (IB), especially helpful when an individual MAC address of a destination peer node is unknown. The technique comprises a) issuing a Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) message from the Ethernet network, and introducing into the CFM message alternative destination data being different than the individual MAC address of the destination peer node; b) utilizing the alternative destination data, at the IB, for determining topological position or address of the destination peer node, and c) forwarding contents of the CFM message only to the destination peer node.

Abstract: A system for superimposing virtual anatomical landmarks on an image includes a medical positioning system (MPS) for producing location readings with respect to points within a region of interest in accordance with an output of a location sensor disposed in a medical device. A coordinate system of the MPS is registered with an image coordinate system. A control unit receives a signal from a user to record a location reading when the medical device is at a desired point in the region of interest where the user desires to place a virtual landmark, modifies the recorded location reading for motion compensation, transforms the motion-compensated location reading from the MPS coordinate system to the image coordinate system to produce a target location, and then superimposes a representation of the virtual landmark on the image at the target location.

Abstract: Processing of a variable print document corresponding to a plurality of elements, each element having a type, a coverage area and a z-axis value, may be improved by creating a composite elements to replace groups of elements when element types are compatible and when creating composite elements is desirable based at least on the coverage area of the composite element, for example, in relation to the sum of the coverage areas of the elements in the group, and otherwise swapping z-axis values of elements if the elements do not overlap.

Abstract: A technique is described for flooding data packets in a telecommunication switching device comprising a plurality of interface blades. The technique comprises arranging a logical ring by interconnecting a group of interface blades of the telecommunication switching device, wherein the interface blades of the group comprise all leaf ports of the telecommunication device. Upon receiving a packet with un known destination at a particular interface blade of the logical ring, the packet is forwarded along the logical ring using unicast transmission. At each of the interface blades holding at least one leaf port, the packet is fed to at least one leaf port of the interface blade. The technique both ensures that the packet will be received at its destination via any of the leaf ports, and prevents burst flooding in the telecommunication switching device.

Abstract: Processing of a variable print document corresponding to a plurality of elements, each element having a type, a coverage area and a z-axis value, may be improved by creating a composite elements to replace groups of elements when element types are compatible and when creating composite elements is desirable based at least on the coverage area of the composite element, for example, in relation to the sum of the coverage areas of the elements in the group, and otherwise swapping z-axis values of elements if the elements do not overlap. Elements may further include at least one of a transparency and/or text-wrap parameter, which may be used in the method for producing composite elements.

Abstract: Processing of a variable print document corresponding to a plurality of elements, each element having a type, a coverage area and a z-axis value, may be improved by creating a composite elements to replace groups of elements when element types are compatible and when creating composite elements is desirable based at least on the coverage area of the composite element, for example, in relation to the sum of the coverage areas of the elements in the group, and otherwise swapping z-axis values of elements if the elements do not overlap.