Abstract: The invention relates to a mapping catheter for determination of data of an area of an organ embodied as a flat surface, especially of the heart, to be presented graphically, with at least one thermosensor essentially aligned in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the mapping catheter for determination of temperature-related data which is arranged at a tip of the mapping catheter being provided in the distal area of the mapping catheter for introduction into the organ.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting x-ray quanta incident on a multi-pixel x-ray detector having a two-dimensional matrix composed of measurement-signal-generating pixels, wherein the multi-pixel x-ray detector is embodied as a direct solid-state detector, wherein the pixels, which generate a measurement signal within a predefined time interval and which in addition lie in a contiguous cluster composed of a plurality of pixels, are assigned to an event cluster by an evaluation unit and wherein their measurement signals are drawn upon for the purpose of approximating the position at which the x-ray quantum interacted with the multi-pixel x-ray detector.

Abstract: An X-ray detector of conventional design having photodiodes and scintillator material arranged thereon is able, given a suitable read-out frequency matching a low dose to which the flat-panel X-ray detector is subjected, to obtain images during each read-out operation, from which images the energy of individual X-ray quanta can be derived. An item of X-ray-spectrum information about pixels in a grid pattern can be obtained thereby.

Abstract: A sensor element is provided for conversion of x-radiation into an electrical measurement signal, the sensor element including an x-radiation-absorbing fluid arranged in a housing, and a pressure sensor arranged to detect a pressure of the fluid on the pressure sensor and convert the detected pressure into an electrical measurement signal. A plurality of such sensor elements may be arranged in a matrix-type arrangement to form an x-ray detector.

Abstract: For noise correction in connection with a flat-panel x-ray detector, noise signals of a dark reference area are checked for deviations exceeding a specified threshold which, if any are present, will be taken into consideration separately for calculating the correction factor derived from the noise signal. Image artifacts due, for example, to high-contrast objects such as, for instance, cardiac pacemakers or metallic implants, in the x-ray image will be avoided through this measure.

Abstract: To make interventional instruments such as catheters more easily identifiable in X-ray images, the catheters are provided with marking elements which can be recognized in the X-ray image. Examples of marking elements are sphere-shaped and ring-shaped marking elements, the ring-shaped marking elements being able to identify the catheters in the manner of a barcode and so being able to make different catheters distinguishable from one another in the X-ray image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for synchronizing an image capture device with a first image data set. The image capture device is used for recording a second image data set of a periodically moving area or object. Each first image data set contains information as to the point in time, relative to the periodically moving area or object, when recording took place. The device additionally acquires periodically recurring, current information of the area as well as information concerning the recording instant of the first image data set. From the periodically recurring information and the recording instant of the first image data set, a triggering instant is derived which controls at least one recording of the second image data set by the image capture device in such a way that the second image data set contains image data synchronized to the first image data set.

Abstract: An X-ray detector of conventional design having photodiodes and scintillator material arranged thereon is able, given a suitable read-out frequency matching a low dose to which the flat-panel X-ray detector is subjected, to obtain images during each read-out operation, from which images the energy of individual X-ray quanta can be derived. An item of X-ray-spectrum information about pixels in a grid pattern can be obtained thereby.

Abstract: A sensor element is provided for conversion of x-radiation into an electrical measurement signal, the sensor element including an x-radiation-absorbing fluid arranged in a housing, and a pressure sensor arranged to detect a pressure of the fluid on the pressure sensor and convert the detected pressure into an electrical measurement signal. A plurality of such sensor elements may be arranged in a matrix-type arrangement to form an x-ray detector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional image dataset of a target volume by using an examination facility having at least two image recording facilities, each featuring a radiation source and a radiation detector, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation which is arranged perpendicular to the connecting line between the radiation source and the radiation detector, comprising: adjusting the recording areas of the image recording facilities such that the recording areas arranged offset in the z-direction supplement each other to form a recording area, which is enlarged in the z-direction; simultaneously recording two-dimensional images in different orientations by means of the image recording facilities rotating about their axis of rotation; reconstructing a three-dimensional sub-image dataset in each instance from the images of the individual image recording facilities; combining the sub-image datasets to form the three-dimensional image dataset.

Abstract: For noise correction in connection with a flat-panel x-ray detector, noise signals of a dark reference area are checked for deviations exceeding a specified threshold which, if any are present, will be taken into consideration separately for calculating the correction factor derived from the noise signal. Image artifacts due, for example, to high-contrast objects such as, for instance, cardiac pacemakers or metallic implants, in the x-ray image will be avoided through this measure.

Abstract: For noise correction in connection with a flat-panel x-ray detector (2), noise signals of a dark area (6) are checked for deviations exceeding a specified threshold (g) which, if any are present, will be taken into consideration separately for calculating the correction factor derived from the noise signal. Image artifacts due, for example, to high-contrast objects such as, for instance, cardiac pacemakers or metallic implants, in the x-ray image will be avoided through this measure.

Abstract: To enable a rapid and safe automatic recognition of the position of the catheter, particularly for an electrophysiological examination with an automatic control system of an electrode catheter, a two-stage image evaluation of an x-ray fluoroscopy image is provided. In the first analysis step, frequency polygons are herewith developed as potential locations of the catheter with the aid of structures contained in the image. In the second analysis step, only the previously identified potential catheter positions are investigated with the aid of a template method and the actual catheter position is identified.

Abstract: With a method for supporting an interventional medical operation, a 3-dimensional image data set is recorded before the method. A positioning system is coupled with the coordinates system of the 3-dimensional image data set. The instrument is positioned and the position of the instrument in the 3-dimensional image data set is determined as an instrument image data point. Two further target image data points are determined in the target region, in which the instrument is to be guided. A plane is defined in this way. In this plane, the image data is used for a 2-dimensional display. Both the instrument image data point and also the two target image data points can be identified on the display, so that the target region of an interventional operation and an interventional medical device are displayed on an image at the same time. The image can be tracked during the interventional medical operation.

Abstract: To determine the position and orientation of an object in a x-ray image the x-ray image is initially pre-processed. A three-dimensional template (data record) of the object based on the known constructional features of the object is created. Three parameters for the position and for the orientation respectively are modified iteratively. The three-dimensional template with the parameters for position and orientation is projected in each case onto a two-dimensional plane and the created image is compared on the basis of the generation of a degree of similarity with the pre-processed x-ray image.

Abstract: A method for localizing a medical instrument introduced into the body of a patient, comprising: arranging at least four electrodes on the body of the patient, recording three-dimensional image data of a region of the patient, determining a conductivity model of the patient via the image data, determining electric field distribution when a voltage or current is applied for at least three electrode pairs formed from the four electrodes via the conductivity model and spatial positions of the electrodes, not all the electrodes lying in one plane, applying a voltage or a current at each electrode pair and determining three voltage values at an electrode of the medical instrument for the three electrode pairs, and determining the spatial position of the medical instrument as the intersection of equipotential surfaces assigned to the three voltage values at the electrode of the medical instrument.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the graphical representation of a medical instrument inserted at least partially into an object under examination, with an image representing the medical instrument being generated, in that the instrument image is vectorized, with the medical instrument being represented as a polyline.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mapping catheter for determination of data of an area of an organ embodied as a flat surface, especially of the heart, to be presented graphically, with at least one thermosensor essentially aligned in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the mapping catheter for determination of temperature-related data which is arranged at a tip of the mapping catheter being provided in the distal area of the mapping catheter for introduction into the organ.

Abstract: The invention relates to a diagnostics device and to a method for the operation thereof comprising an X-ray system for producing X-ray images, the system comprising an X-ray device and an image system for the X-ray device, and a system for locating objects, wherein adjusting means for changing the frequency of at least one of the two systems are provided, by way of which the two systems can be coordinated with one another such that interference within successive X-ray images is virtually static, and the image system comprises a correcting device which is constructed such that the static interference is eliminated. Diagnostics devices of this type are used in various medical procedures, for example in PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) and Cardiac EP (electrophysiology) interventions.

Abstract: With a method for generating an x-ray image sequence for supporting an intervention on a patient with a catheter or guide wire for instance, automatic recognition of the catheter is carried out with recorded x-ray images using a computer system. The x-ray image recording parameters are changed on the basis of the determined quality of the imaging of the object, with the x-ray device preferably being automatically activated with the changed x-ray image recording parameters, to record x-ray images. The doctor can therefore concentrate on the actual intervention and does not have to worry about operating the x-ray device.