Abstract: A probe including a shaft on which an ultrasound element is mounted, an outer sheath and an acoustic membrane surrounding the shaft and the ultrasound element such that the shaft and ultrasound element are rotatable therein. Passages may supply a cooling and acoustic coupling fluid to an inlet and outlet adjacent the acoustic element to cool the acoustic element and fill a volume between the acoustic element and the acoustic sheath with the fluid. A balloon may be mounted on the probe to be selectively inflated to fix a position of the probe. A drain for urine and other bodily fluids may be provided through the probe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining patient hydration levels is disclosed. The method includes measuring a skin turgor.

Abstract: A probe (40) includes a shaft (52) on which an ultrasound element (42) is mounted. An outer sheath (64) and an acoustic membrane (66) surround the shaft and the ultrasound element such that the shaft and ultrasound element are rotatable therein. Passages (56) supply a cooling and acoustic coupling fluid to an inlet and outlet (48) adjacent the acoustic element to cool the acoustic element and fill a volume between the acoustic element and the acoustic sheath with the fluid. A balloon (90) mounted on the probe is selectively inflated in order to fix a position of the probe. A drain (94, 98) drains urine and other bodily fluids through the probe.

Abstract: A therapeutic ultrasound tracking system (10) includes a first and second plurality of tracking elements ((14, 16, 18),(20,22,24)), a tracking generator (26), and a system controller (28). The first plurality of tracking elements (14, 16, 18) is disposed in a first position and orientation with respect to each another and with respect to an energy emission surface (30) of a therapeutic ultrasound probe (12). The second plurality of tracking elements (20,22,24) is adapted to be coupled to a patient (42) in a second position and orientation with respect to each other and with respect to a target region of the patient which is to receive a therapeutic treatment. The tracking generator (26) emits tracking energy for use in connection with the first and second plurality of tracking elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining patient hydration levels is disclosed. The method includes measuring a skin turgor. Suction measurements are performed, wherein the distance between an ultrasound transducer and the skin surface is measured over time.

Abstract: A skin-mounted device (10) comprises an acoustic module (24) and an attachment assembly (16). An acoustically coupling layer (34) affixes and acoustically couples the module (24) to a skin (18).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the integration of an ultrasound transducer with a SPECT imaging system is disclosed. The ultrasound transducer allows the delivery of particle-born drug therapies or thermally active therapies at the same site detected with SPECT imaging. The system includes a SPECT imaging subsystem; an ultrasound transducer for producing a signal representative of applied ultrasound and signally coupled to the SPECT imaging subsystem; and co-registering means for co-registering the signal representative of applied ultrasound in a coordinate system of SPECT imaging subsystem. The SPECT subsystem may be replaced with a SPECT/CT combined system to provide morphology that allows for treatment planning. In another embodiment, the ultrasound transducer can be used intermittently with the sequential gathering of SPECT images for tracking time-varying properties of the binding of specific SPECT contrast agents to biomarkers of disease.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automated detection of a general, non-sinusoidal type of periodicity in ultrasound Doppler signals from pulsatile blood flow is described. The method computes a pulsation index, which is a sum of the normalized powers of the fundamental and several harmonic components in the frequency spectrum of the banded Doppler signal. A weighting function may be applied to the power from each harmonic component in order to suppress contributions due to spurious peaks, as in the case when pulsatile flow is absent.