Abstract: A method for determining respiratory induced blood mass change from a four-dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) includes receiving a 4D CT image set which contains a first three-dimensional computed tomographic image (3D CT) and a second 3D CT image. The method includes executing a deformable image registration (DIR) function on the received 4D CT image set, and determining a displacement vector field indicative of the lung motion induced by patient respiration. The method further includes segmenting the received 3D CT images into a first segmented image and a second segmented. The method includes determining the change in blood mass between the first 3D CT image and the second 3D CT image from the DIR solution, the segmented images, and measured CT densities.

Abstract: A method for processing images of lungs including defining lung segmentation of the lungs, performing deformable image registration on the segmented lungs, performing ventilation estimation operations to determine a ventilation estimation, performing perfusion estimation operations to determine a perfusion estimation, comparing the ventilation estimation to the perfusion estimation, and determining a pulmonary embolism risk score based on the comparison of the ventilation estimation to the perfusion estimation.

Abstract: A method for computing lung compliance imaging, the method comprising obtaining one or more images of lungs, determining a spatial transformation of each voxel within the lungs between the lungs at an inhale position and the lungs at an exhale position to provide displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs, performing volume change inference operations to determine a volume change between the lungs at the inhale position and the lungs at the exhale position based on an inhale region of interest, an exhale region of interest, and the displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs, computing a lung compliance based on the volume change inference operations.

Abstract: A method for computing lung compliance imaging, the method comprising obtaining one or more images of lungs, determining a spatial transformation of each voxel within the lungs between the lungs at an inhale position and the lungs at an exhale position to provide displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs, performing volume change inference operations to determine a volume change between the lungs at the inhale position and the lungs at the exhale position based on an inhale region of interest, an exhale region of interest, and the displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs, computing a lung compliance based on the volume change inference operations.

Abstract: A method for determining respiratory induced blood mass change from a four-dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) includes receiving a 4D CT image set which contains a first three-dimensional computed tomographic image (3D CT) and a second 3D CT image. The method includes executing a deformable image registration (DIR) function on the received 4D CT image set, and determining a displacement vector field indicative of the lung motion induced by patient respiration. The method further includes segmenting the received 3D CT images into a first segmented image and a second segmented. The method includes determining the change in blood mass between the first 3D CT image and the second 3D CT image from the DIR solution, the segmented images, and measured CT densities.

Abstract: A method for determining respiratory induced blood mass change from a four-dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) includes receiving a 4D CT image set which contains a first three-dimensional computed tomographic image (3D CT) and a second 3D CT image. The method includes executing a deformable image registration (DIR) function on the received 4D CT image set, and determining a displacement vector field indicative of the lung motion induced by patient respiration. The method further includes segmenting the received 3D CT images into a first segmented image and a second segmented. The method includes determining the change in blood mass between the first 3D CT image and the second 3D CT image from the DIR solution, the segmented images, and measured CT densities.

Abstract: A method for processing images of lungs, the method comprising defining an inhale region of interest of the lungs at an inhale position and an exhale region of interest of the lungs at an exhale position, determining a spatial transformation of each voxel within the lungs between the lungs at the inhale position and the lungs at the exhale position to provide displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs, and performing volume change inference operations to determine a volume change between the lungs at the inhale position and the lungs at the exhale position based on the inhale region of interest, the exhale region of interest, and the displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs.

Abstract: A method for determining respiratory induced blood mass change from a four-dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) includes receiving a 4D CT image set which contains a first three-dimensional computed tomographic image (3D CT) and a second 3D CT image. The method includes executing a deformable image registration (DIR) function on the received 4D CT image set, and determining a displacement vector field indicative of the lung motion induced by patient respiration. The method further includes segmenting the received 3D CT images into a first segmented image and a second segmented. The method includes determining the change in blood mass between the first 3D CT image and the second 3D CT image from the DIR solution, the segmented images, and measured CT densities.

Abstract: A method for computing lung compliance imaging, the method comprising obtaining one or more images of lungs, determining a spatial transformation of each voxel within the lungs between the lungs at an inhale position and the lungs at an exhale position to provide displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs, performing volume change inference operations to determine a volume change between the lungs at the inhale position and the lungs at the exhale position based on an inhale region of interest, an exhale region of interest, and the displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs, computing a lung compliance based on the volume change inference operations.

Abstract: A method for determining respiratory induced blood mass change from a four-dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) includes receiving a 4D CT image set which contains a first three-dimensional computed tomographic image (3D CT) and a second 3D CT image. The method includes executing a deformable image registration (DIR) function on the received 4D CT image set, and determining a displacement vector field indicative of the lung motion induced by patient respiration. The method further includes segmenting the received 3D CT images into a first segmented image and a second segmented. The method includes determining the change in blood mass between the first 3D CT image and the second 3D CT image from the DIR solution, the segmented images, and measured CT densities.

Abstract: A method for processing images of lungs, the method comprising defining an inhale region of interest of the lungs at an inhale position and an exhale region of interest of the lungs at an exhale position, determining a spatial transformation of each voxel within the lungs between the lungs at the inhale position and the lungs at the exhale position to provide displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs, and performing volume change inference operations to determine a volume change between the lungs at the inhale position and the lungs at the exhale position based on the inhale region of interest, the exhale region of interest, and the displacement vector estimates for each voxel within the lungs.

Abstract: A method for determining respiratory induced blood mass change from a four-dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) includes receiving a 4D CT image set which contains a first three-dimensional computed tomographic image (3D CT) and a second 3D CT image. The method includes executing a deformable image registration (DIR) function on the received 4D CT image set, and determining a displacement vector field indicative of the lung motion induced by patient respiration. The method further includes segmenting the received 3D CT images into a first segmented image and a second segmented. The method includes determining the change in blood mass between the first 3D CT image and the second 3D CT image from the DIR solution, the segmented images, and measured CT densities.

Abstract: An apparatus for securing a vessel includes a primary cap having a threaded portion that is configured to selectively engage corresponding threads of a vessel to secure the primary cap to the vessel, and at least one projection. The apparatus further includes a removable secondary cap configured to engage the primary cap to secure the vessel, the secondary cap including at least one lug, the lug having a shear zone that contacts the projection when the primary and secondary caps are engaged and secured to a vessel. When the secondary cap is removed from the primary cap, the shear zone is broken by the projection such that the secondary cap cannot by reinstalled on the primary cap.

Abstract: An apparatus for securing a vessel includes a primary cap having a threaded portion that is configured to selectively engage corresponding threads of a vessel to secure the primary cap to the vessel, and at least one projection. The apparatus further includes a removable secondary cap configured to engage the primary cap to secure the vessel, the secondary cap including at least one lug, the lug having a shear zone that contacts the projection when the primary and secondary caps are engaged and secured to a vessel. When the secondary cap is removed from the primary cap, the shear zone is broken by the projection such that the secondary cap cannot by reinstalled on the primary cap.

Abstract: A toothbrush for cleaning teeth, especially the interproximal region between adjacent, closely spaced or normally contacting teeth, has at least one fin extending from the body of the toothbrush through the bristled head. The fin is a thin, tapering, blade-like member with a distal edge for cleaning teeth by scraping motion. The fin is molded from plastic resin, and is constructed so as to resist buckling loads to tend to penetrate and clean the interproximal tooth surfaces, even to the point of temporarily separating lightly contacting surfaces of adjacent teeth. Various fin embodiments are presented, including one that has an outwardly-biasing loop portion. Methods of use and manufacture and preferred materials are also disclosed.