Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining a three-dimensional directedness-determined motion are provided, including a forward-backward directedness, characterizing the motion of a movable ultrasound probe (10) during acquisition of an ultrasound image of a volume portion (2) by the ultrasound probe. The method comprises determining, by a machine-learning module (50), a motion indicator (60) indicating a three-dimensional motion between the ultrasound image frames (22); and determining, by a directedness-determining system (56), a directedness indicator (66) of the three-dimensional motion between the ultrasound image frames (22). The method further comprises determining a directedness-determined motion indicator (96) indicating the three-dimensional directedness-determined motion, including a determined the forward-backward directedness of the motion, between the ultrasound image frames (22) from the motion indicator (60) and the directedness indicator (66).

Abstract: A method for providing a 3D image data record of a physiological object with a metal object therein is proposed. To enable an image of the metal object in the physiological object, for instance a biopsy needle in a human patient to be recorded as a 3D image in this patient, two 2D x-ray images of the patient are obtained with the needle with the aid of a biplane x-ray system, and back projection allows a 3D image data record to be generated, which is then subject to a filtering with a gray-scale value window. After filtering, information relating to the position and shape of the metal object in space is obtained. The thus obtained first 3D image data record can be combined with another 3D image data record, in particular with a 3D image data record of the patient without the metal object obtained with the same biplane x-ray system.

Abstract: A method of guiding a catheter during a treatment procedure includes acquiring scan data of a patient volume in position for the treatment procedure, registering volume data of the patient volume to the scan data, acquiring fluoroscopic data for the patient volume during the treatment procedure, and generating a volume representation of the fluoroscopic data during the treatment procedure. Generating the volume representation includes superimposing the fluoroscopic data on the volume data based on the registering. The volume representation of the fluoroscopic data is displayed, the volume representation showing a position of a mitral valve clip carried by the catheter relative to the patient volume.

Abstract: An image data processor automatically identifies individual picture elements representing embolic material in first and second 2D X-ray images in response to a luminance intensity value of the picture elements exceeding a threshold. The image data processor also automatically identifies individual volume elements in a 3D X-ray image dataset corresponding to the identified individual picture elements by, for an individual picture element, detecting intersection of a projected line with one or more volume elements in the 3D image dataset representing vessels. The projected line substantially passes from the individual picture element to an X-ray radiation source. The display processor initiates generation of data representing a display image showing the identified individual volume elements representing embolic material, with enhanced visualization.

Abstract: A method of determining a three-dimensional (3D) position of a catheter tip includes: compensating a 2D position of the tip of the catheter for respiratory motion to generate a compensated 2D catheter position, generating weighted sample points around the compensated 2D catheter position, determining correspondent points of the weighted sample points in a 3D image, computing a weighted mean and a weighted covariance of each correspondent point, and determining the 3D position of the catheter tip in the 3D image from a fusion of the weighted means and weighted covariances.

Abstract: A method for providing a 3D image data record of a physiological object with a metal object therein is proposed. To enable an image of the metal object in the physiological object, for instance a biopsy needle in a human patient to be recorded as a 3D image in this patient, two 2D x-ray images of the patient are obtained with the needle with the aid of a biplane x-ray system, and back projection allows a 3D image data record to be generated, which is then subject to a filtering with a gray-scale value window. After filtering, information relating to the position and shape of the metal object in space is obtained. The thus obtained first 3D image data record can be combined with another 3D image data record, in particular with a 3D image data record of the patient without the metal object obtained with the same biplane x-ray system.

Abstract: A system and method of treatment of mitral valve insufficiency using an implantable medical device is described. The system uses a C-arm X-ray device configured to produce computed-tomographic (CT)-like images, and to superimpose the CT-like images on a fluoroscopic image taken with the same X-ray device as a part of the treatment procedure. The fluoroscopic images are used to guide a catheter in the patient so as to place the medical device in a proper position. The efficacy of the procedure may be assessed using a non-invasive or minimally invasive acoustic imaging technique.

Abstract: A method of determining a three-dimensional (3D) position of a catheter tip includes: compensating a 2D position of the tip of the catheter for respiratory motion to generate a compensated 2D catheter position, generating weighted sample points around the compensated 2D catheter position, determining correspondent points of the weighted sample points in a 3D image, computing a weighted mean and a weighted covariance of each correspondent point, and determining the 3D position of the catheter tip in the 3D image from a fusion of the weighted means and weighted covariances.