Abstract: An interventional therapy system may include at least one controller which may obtain a reference image dataset of an object of interest (OOI); segment the reference image dataset to determine peripheral outlines of the OOI in the plurality image slices; acquire a current image of the OOI using an ultrasound probe; select a peripheral outline of a selected image slice of the plurality of slices of the reference image dataset which is determined to correspond to the current image; and/or modify the selected peripheral outline of the image slice of the plurality of slices of the reference image dataset in accordance with at least one deformation vector.

Abstract: A radiation therapy delivery system (10) includes an ultrasound imaging unit (26), a radiation therapy delivery mechanism (12, 56, 70, 88), a plurality of fiducials (22, 90) located internal to the subject, an image fusion unit (40), and a delivery evaluation unit (38). The ultrasound imaging unit (26) includes a transducer (30) that emits ultrasonic sound waves to image in real-time an anatomic portion of a subject (16) in a first coordinate system. The radiation therapy delivery mechanism (12, 56, 70, 88) delivers amounts of therapeutic radiation in the anatomic portion of the subject in a second coordinate system. The fiducials (22, 90) include implants or a trans-rectal ultrasound probe (80). The image fusion unit (40) registers locations of the plurality of fiducials to at least one of the first and the second coordinate system and tracks the locations of the fiducials in real-time.

Abstract: A method for processing medical images includes analyzing a medical image to detect a medical condition from a list of medical conditions, wherein the list of medical conditions includes aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism, and coronary stenosis. Responsive to determining the medical image includes a first medical condition, the method generates a first report that includes information on a detection of the first medical condition. The method identifies, a medical specialist based on availability and medical expertise and sends to the identified medical specialist, the medical image and the first report for a decision on the detection of the first medical condition. Responsive to receiving the decision from the medical specialist, the method sends to a second electronic device, the decision, the medical image, and the first report.

Abstract: The invention relates to a HDR brachytherapy system comprising an ultrasound sensor for being arranged at the location of a brachytherapy catheter (12), wherein the ultrasound sensor is adapted to generate an ultrasound signal based on ultrasound radiation, which has been sent by an ultrasound imaging device preferentially comprising a TRUS probe (40) and which has been received by the ultrasound sensor. The position of the ultrasound sensor is determined based on the generated ultrasound signal, and based on this position of the ultrasound sensor the pose and shape of the brachytherapy catheter and/or the position of a HDR radiation source are determined. This allows for a very accurate determination of the pose and shape of the brachytherapy catheter and/or of the position of the HDR radiation source, which in turn can lead to an improved HDR brachytherapy.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments, a method, a computer program product, and a computer system for detecting and characterizing aortic pathologies are provided. The method may include receiving, by a computer, one or more tomograph scan images corresponding to a patient's aorta. The one or more received tomograph scan images may be analyzed by the computer for one or more image features associated with one or more aortic pathologies, such as aortic dissection or an aortic aneurysm. One or more image features associated with the one or more aortic pathologies may be identified in the one or more analyzed tomograph scan images, which may allow the determination of an aortic pathology associated with the patient's aorta based on the identification of the image features. A portion of the aorta and one or more branch arteries corresponding to the determined aortic pathology may then be identified.

Abstract: The invention relates to a determination apparatus for determining the pose and shape of an introduction element like a catheter within a living being, wherein the introduction element (12) is adapted to be used by a brachytherapy apparatus for introducing a radiation source (10) close to a target object (11) to be treated. A position determination element (27) like guidewire (20) with an electromagnetic tracking element (16) is introduced into the introduction element (12) such that it is arranged at different locations within the introduction element (12), wherein the positions of the position determination element (27) within the introduction element (12) are determined. The determined positions are then acquired depending on the determined positions for determining the pose and shape of the introduction element within the living being. This can lead to a determination procedure with reduced user interaction, thereby simplifying the determination procedure for the user.

Abstract: The invention relates to a determination apparatus for determining the pose and shape of an introduction element like a catheter within a living being, wherein the introduction element is adapted to be used by a brachytherapy apparatus for introducing a radiation source close to a target object to be treated. A position determination element like guidewire with an electromagnetic tracking element is introduced into the introduction element such that it is arranged at different locations within the introduction element, wherein the positions of the position determination element within the introduction element are determined. The determined positions are then acquired depending on the determined positions for determining the pose and shape of the introduction element within the living being. This can lead to a determination procedure with reduced user interaction, thereby simplifying the determination procedure for the user.

Abstract: A system for dynamic localization of medical instruments includes an ultrasound imaging system (110) configured to image a volume where one or more medical instruments are deployed. A registration module (136) registers two images of the one or more medical instruments to compute a transform between the two images, the two images being separated in time. A planning module (142) is configured to have positions of the volume and the one or more medical instruments updated based on the transform and, in turn, update a treatment plan in accordance with the updated positions such that changes in the volume and positions of the one or more medical instruments are accounted for in the updated plan.

Abstract: A method includes generating a hyperthermia heat plan for tissue of interest, generating a hyperthermia adapted radiation therapy plan for the tissue of interest, controlling a heat source (126) to deliver heat to the tissue of interest according to the hyperthermia heat plan, and controlling a radiation source of a radiation therapy system (100) to deliver radiation to the tissue of interest according to the hyperthermia adapted radiation therapy plan. A system includes a radiation treatment planner (124) configured to generate a hyperthermia adapted radiation therapy plan for the tissue of interest, a radiation therapy system (100) configured to deliver radiation in accordance with the hyperthermia adapted radiation therapy plan, and a hyperthermia heat delivery system (126) configured to deliver heat in accordance with a hyperthermia plan.

Abstract: A method for determining a surrogate respiratory signal for four-dimensional computed tomography using ultrasound data includes acquiring computed tomography data with a computed tomography imaging system (402), acquiring ultrasound data with an ultrasound probe of an ultrasound imaging system (404) concurrently with acquiring the computed tomography data during one or more respiratory cycles, wherein the ultrasound probe is aligned to acquire an image of a diaphragm of a subject, synchronizing the acquired computed tomography data and the acquired ultrasound data, and determining a surrogate respiratory signal from the acquired ultrasound data.

Abstract: A brachytherapy seed localization system for localizing radioactive seeds within a diseased tissue, the brachytherapy seed localization system employs a tool tracking machine (50) for generating a tracked seed distribution map (51) of delivered locations of the radioactive seeds within the diseased tissue, and a tissue imaging machine (60) for generating a seed distribution image (61) of projected locations of the radioactive seeds within the diseased tissue including at least one false projected location. The brachytherapy seed localization system further employs a brachytherapy seed localizer (70) for generating a composite seed distribution map (71) of estimated locations of the radioactive seeds within the diseased tissue derived from a combination of the tracked seed distribution map (51) and the seed distribution image (61) excluding any false projected location(s) within the seed distribution image (61).

Abstract: An ultrasound device (18) is arranged to acquire an ultrasound image (19) of a thoracic diaphragm. A current location (24) of a tumor is determined using the ultrasound image (19) of the thoracic diaphragm and a predetermined relationship (14) assigning tumor locations to a set of simulation phase ultrasound images of the thoracic diaphragm in different geometries, or using a predetermined relationship (114) assigning tumor locations to a set of meshes representing the thoracic diaphragm in different geometries. The tumor may, for example, be a lung tumor.

Abstract: A radiology workstation (16) includes a display device (25) and at least one user input device (20, 22, 24). A server computer (10) is programmed to operate with the radiology workstation to perform the radiology reading task (14) including a radiology reading support method comprising: receiving user input identifying a radiological finding; retrieving a structured finding object (SFO) template for the radiological finding; displaying an SFO annotation graphical user interface (GUI) dialog (40) having annotation data entry fields for annotating the retrieved SFO template; building an SFO (60) representing the radiological finding by annotating the SFO template via the SFO GUI dialog; and generating natural language text describing the radiological finding from the SFO. Application program interface (API) action rules (54) may be applied to determine whether the SFO being built satisfies any API action rule, and if so a corresponding application program is invoked.

Abstract: There is presented a method 100 and apparatus 200 to measure the surface of the patient (thorax and abdominal regions), e.g., during therapy delivery and (if necessary) while imaging. Together with biomechanical considerations the position of internal structures of the patient, such as an organ, and optionally a tumor in an organ, is inferred from the measured patient surface. In case the patient breaths and thus the organ and/or tumor moves, the position may be determined, which may be advantageous during, e.g., radiation therapy, since it enables that whenever the tumor is at the right position according to the radiation therapy plan, the radiation is switched on. In a specific embodiment, a finite element model is employed.

Abstract: An ultrasound calibration system employs a calibration phantom (20), an ultrasound probe (10) and a calibration workstation (40a). The calibration phantom (20) encloses a frame assembly (21) within a calibration coordinate system established by one or more phantom trackers. In operation, the ultrasound probe (10) acoustically scans an image of the frame assembly (21) within an image coordinate system relative to a scan coordinate system established by one or more probe trackers. The calibration workstation (40a) localizes the ultrasound probe (10) and the frame assembly image (11) within the calibration coordinate system and determines a calibration transformation matrix between the image coordinate system and the scan coordinate system from the localizations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a calibration apparatus for calibrating a system for introducing an influencing element like a radiation source into an object, particularly for calibrating a brachytherapy system. First and second images show a longish introduction device (12) like a catheter and a tracking device (16) like an electromagnetically trackable guidewire inserted into the introduction device as far as possible, and the introduction device and a calibration element (46) having the same dimensions as the influencing element and being inserted into the introduction device as far as possible. A spatial relation between the tracking device and the calibration element is determined based on the images for calibrating the system. Knowing this spatial relation allows accurately determining an influencing plan like a brachytherapy treatment plan and accurately positioning the influencing element in accordance with the influencing plan, which in turn allows for a more accurate influencing of the object.

Abstract: A system for medical device deployment includes an optical shape sensing (OSS) system (104) associated with a deployable medical device (102) or a deployment instrument (107). The OSS system is configured to measure shape, position or orientation of the deployable medical device and/or deployment instrument. A registration module (128) is configured to register OSS data with imaging data to permit placement of the deployable medical device. An image processing module (142) is configured to create a visual representation (102?) of the deployable medical device and to jointly display the deployable medical device with the imaging data.

Abstract: An electromagnetic field quality assurance system employing an electromagnetic field generator (10) for emitting an electromagnetic field (12), and one or more quality assurance electromagnetic sensors (11, 21, 31, 41, 50) for sensing the emission of the electromagnetic field (12). The system further employs a quality assurance controller (74) for assessing a tracking quality of the electromagnetic field (12) derived from a monitoring of a sensed position of each quality assurance electromagnetic sensor (11, 21, 31, 41, 50) within a field-of-view of the electromagnetic field (12). The electromagnetic field generator (10), an ultrasound probe (20), an ultrasound stepper (30) and/or a patient table (40) may be equipped with the quality assurance electromagnetic sensor(s) (11, 21, 31, 41, 50).

Abstract: A system for selecting a calibration includes a data structure (138) including non-transitory computer readable storage media having a plurality of calibration entries stored therein and indexed to position and/or orientation criteria for a field generator. The field generator is configured for placement in an environment for sensor tracking. A calibration selection module (140) is configured to determine a position and/or orientation of the field generator and, based on the position and/or orientation, determine, using the data structure, corresponding calibration information stored in the data structure. The calibration information is optimized based upon the position and/or orientation of the field generator.

Abstract: An interventional therapy system (100, 200, 300, 900) may include at least one catheter configured for insertion within an object of interest (OOI); and at least one controller (102, 202, 910) which: obtains a reference image dataset (540) comprising a plurality of image slices which form a three-dimensional image of the OOI, defines restricted areas (RAs) within the reference image dataset, determines location constraints for the at least one catheter in accordance with at least one of planned catheter intersection points, a peripheral boundary of the OOI and the RAs defined in the reference dataset, determines at least one of a position and an orientation of the distal end of the at least one catheter, and/or determines a planned trajectory for the at least one catheter in accordance with the determined at least one position and orientation for the at least one catheter and the location constraints.