Abstract: Components and construction methods are described for constructing a wide variety of configurable phantoms for use in MR imaging. These phantoms generally comprise an outer housing; at least one support plate disposed within the outer housing and having a plurality of locations for selectively receiving at least one element allowing for configurable phantoms to be created; the at least one element having anisotropic diffusion, isotropic diffusion, and/or perfusion characteristics, the at least one element being releasably connected at one of the plurality of locations on the support plate; and a matrix material contained within the outer housing, the matrix material being an aqueous fluid, wherein during MR imaging, the presence of the aqueous fluid, and directionality of fluid molecular diffusion within or through the at least one element are recorded in MR images.

Abstract: A medical navigation system is provided for detecting movement of a subject, the system having an optical tracking system including a camera, a display, and a controller electrically coupled with the optical tracking system and the display. The controller has a processor coupled with a memory and is configured to receive a data signal from the optical tracking system and recognize and continuously monitor optical tracking markers on the subject within a field of view of the camera, and provide an alert on the display when movement of the optical tracking markers on the subject falls within predefined parameters.

Abstract: A combination that includes: a flavonoid, for example in an amount from about 0.1 g to about 1.5 g; and one or more of: ascorbic acid, ascorbate, or a combination thereof, for example in an amount from about 0.2 g to about 2.0 g; N-acetyl cysteine, for example in an amount from about 0.10 g to about 1.2 g; alpha-lipoic acid, for example in an amount from about 0.05 g to about 0.60 g; and at least one carotenoid, for example in an amount from about 1 mg to about 50 mg. The combination may be used to mitigate or prevent nuclear DNA damage, mitochondrial DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, or any combination thereof in a subject caused by oxidative stress.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for planning a surgical procedure. The system includes a model of an anatomical region including simulated bone, a tracked tool, a tracking system, a display device, and a computer system configured to receive information from the tracking system, generate and display the model and the tracked tool, and store the tracking system information in a computer readable memory that is portable to a surgical navigation system. The method includes acquiring volumetric data of a patient anatomical region, extracting, providing and registering a three-dimensional model with the volumetric data, using a tracked tool to perform a simulated surgical procedure including removing and replacing a bone section on the model, viewing the model and the tracked tool on a display device, recording the procedure with a tracking system, storing the procedure in a computer readable memory, and porting the procedure into a surgical navigation system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for manufacturing and using magnetic resonance (“MR”) visible labels or markers to encode information unique to the subject or object being imaged by a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system are provided. The use of such MR-visible labels or markers enables unique information associated with the subject or object being imaged to be encoded into the images of the subject or object. This information can be used to anonymize protected health information (“PHI”); to provide detailed information about a surgical simulation device, quality assurance phantom, or the like; to provide spatial orientation and registration information; or so on.

Abstract: A medical navigation system is provided for detecting movement of a subject, the system having an optical tracking system including a camera, a display, and a controller electrically coupled with the optical tracking system and the display. The controller has a processor coupled with a memory and is configured to receive a data signal from the optical tracking system and recognize and continuously monitor optical tracking markers on the subject within a field of view of the camera, and provide an alert on the display when movement of the optical tracking markers on the subject falls within predefined parameters.

Abstract: A medical navigation system is provided for detecting movement of a subject, the system having an optical tracking system including a camera, a display, and a controller electrically coupled to the optical tracking system and the display. The controller has a processor coupled to a memory and is configured to receive a data signal from the optical tracking system and recognize and continuously monitor optical tracking markers on the subject within a field of view of the camera, and provide an alert on the display when movement of the optical tracking markers on the subject falls within predefined parameters.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are physiological phantoms incorporating sensors and sensor materials integrated with a tissue phantom of an anatomical part. The sensors and sensor materials include small diameter optical fibers containing Bragg gratings, thermochromic materials, electrical strain gauges, flexible strain gauges, shape sensing cables, electrochromic materials and etc. The sensors and sensing materials may mimic tissue as part of the tissue phantom. They may mimic the directionality, density, elasticity of the anatomical tissues they may be mimicking. The sensors and sensing materials may be sensitive to strain, heat, electricity, shape, light, and etc. similar to what may occur during medical procedures using various medical devices and tools such as a scalpel, a needle, a deep brain stimulation probe, a port used in brain or spinal surgery and etc.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tool used to producing anatomical phantoms. The tool includes an inner flexible mold which sits inside a rigid, thermally conductive outer shell. The rigid shell may be made out of aluminum. The silicone mold and thermally conductive shell both include at least two interlocking components. The shell is held together by a locking mechanism which can expand upon internal pressure. An anatomical phantom is produced from polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel by freezing and thawing a PVA liquid precursor in the silicone mold and demolding it.

Abstract: A training system for training a trainee to perform a surgical procedure on an anatomical region. The system includes a physical model of the anatomical region, a physical training instrument, a tracking system configured to track the location and orientation of the physical training instrument relative to the physical model, a display device, and a computer system. The computer system receives from the tracking system information indicating the location and orientation of the physical training instrument and generates and displays an augmented physical model and the physical training instrument. The display is updated based as the trainee manipulates the physical training instrument. After the trainee has completed the surgical procedure, the computer calculates a score based on the performance of the trainee. The score is a measure of the accuracy of the surgical procedure performed by the trainee or the duration of the surgical procedure.

Abstract: A cerebrospinal diffusion phantom including a housing having a shape and size configured for insertion into a magnetic resonance coil in one or more preselected poses. A scaffold support structure is mounted on an interior of said housing and a plurality of elongated diffusion mimicking members supported on the support array. The elongated diffusion mimicking members are affixed to the scaffold support structure such that elongated diffusion mimicking members extend in directions needed to substantially emulate a 3 dimensional arrangement of cerebrospinal diffusion fiber tracts in a living organism; modules for elimination of resolution based-bias, angular accuracy evaluation, diffusion rate calibration, and quality assurance image referencing. Each elongated diffusion mimicking member includes an aqueous component which can undergo diffusion along the elongated diffusion mimicking member.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are simulated fibrous tissue models of anatomical parts for surgical training. The non-dissolvable simulated fibrous tissue model is made of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and fibrous material composite to simulate realistic tissue properties and behaviors. The simulated fibrous tissue model may be a standalone model of an anatomical part or may be used in a complementary anatomical simulation kit to provide a more comprehensive training approach.

Abstract: A anatomical phantom is disclosed containing a pathological abnormality having fluorescing properties to simulate fluorescence training and/or the simulation of medical procedures, such as fluorescence-based methods for intraoperative visualization and image-guidance. The phantom is made of materials that mimic anatomical biomechanical properties and wherein the pathological abnormality contains fluorescing properties to fluoresce in responsive to UV light excitation. The phantom may be a standalone model or may be used in a complementary simulation kit to provide a more comprehensive training approach.

Abstract: Simulated tissue products and methods involving an enhanced simulated tissue product, the enhanced simulated tissue product formed from a polyvinyl alcohol material having a molecular chain length in a range of at least approximately 7000 vinyl alcohol repeat units; and water, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol material has a preferred molecular chain length in a range of at least approximately 7150 vinyl alcohol repeat units; wherein the aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution involves an additive, and, wherein the additive involves a plurality of nanoparticles. The simulated tissue products and methods are further useful with multi-metric surgery simulator devices, systems, and methods, such as those for training surgical tasks.

Abstract: Systems and methods for manufacturing and using magnetic resonance (“MR”) visible labels, markers, or assemblies to encode information unique to the subject or object being imaged by a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system are provided. The use of such MR-visible labels, markers, or assemblies enables unique information associated with the subject or object being imaged to be encoded into the images of the subject or object. This information can be used to anonymize protected health information (“PHI”); to provide detailed information about a surgical simulation device, quality assurance phantom, or the like; to provide spatial orientation and registration information; or so on.

Abstract: A spinal training simulator kit with an operable module unit for surgical training is described. The spinal training simulator kit includes an anatomical base model of at least a portion of a spinal column and at least one high-fidelity module unit, the module unit comprising intervertebral disc analogues and vertebral segment analogues, and the module unit configured to fit within the base model in an anatomically correct orientation and location. The module unit may be acted upon, i.e. surgical instruments may be passed through, thus, providing a realistic simulator for surgical training.

Abstract: A training system for training a trainee to perform a surgical procedure on an anatomical region. The system includes a physical model of the anatomical region, a physical training instrument, a tracking system configured to track the location and orientation of the physical training instrument relative to the physical model, a display device, and a computer system. The computer system receives from the tracking system information indicating the location and orientation of the physical training instrument and generates and displays an augmented physical model and the physical training instrument. The display is updated based as the trainee manipulates the physical training instrument. After the trainee has completed the surgical procedure, the computer calculates a score based on the performance of the trainee. The score is a measure of the accuracy of the surgical procedure performed by the trainee or the duration of the surgical procedure.

Abstract: Multi-metric surgery simulator devices, systems, and methods, involving at least one sensor configured to collect surgical training performance data relevant to at least one surgical task, the at least one sensor configured to operate with a surgical navigation system comprising a processor, the processor configurable, by way of a set of executable instructions storable in relation to a non-transitory medium, to perform at least one of analyze collected data, transform the collected data, and provide feedback in relation thereto; and at least one surgery simulator apparatus operatively coupled with the at least one sensor, the at least one surgery simulator apparatus configured to operate with a tracking system, whereby collected data is obtainable and clinical performance in relation to the at least one surgical task is quantitatively evaluable and progressively improvable.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are anatomical simulators produced using three dimensional (3D) printing to produce interior components of the simulator. The method of producing void structures in an anatomical phantom, includes 3D printing one or more structures of one or more desired sub-anatomical features using a dissolvable material; supporting and enclosing the one or more structures in an interior of a mold of the anatomical phantom; filling a remaining internal volume in the interior of the mold between an outer surface of the one or more structures and an inner surface of the mold with a liquid precursor of a matrix material selected to mimic anatomical tissue and processing the liquid precursor to form a tissue mimic matrix material; and dissolving the one or more structures with a fluid selected to dissolve said dissolvable material to produce one or more internal cavities within the tissue mimic matrix material.

Abstract: A anatomical phantom is disclosed containing a pathological abnormality having fluorescing properties to simulate fluorescence training and/or the simulation of medical procedures, such as fluorescence-based methods for intraoperative visualization and image-guidance. The phantom is made of materials that mimic anatomical biomechanical properties and wherein the pathological abnormality contains fluorescing properties to fluoresce in responsive to UV light excitation. The phantom may be a standalone model or may be used in a complementary simulation kit to provide a more comprehensive training approach.