Abstract: Systems and methods for producing velocity data associated with three-dimensional (3D) flow field images. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving data associated with a plurality of frames of a flow field relating to image data acquired by a medical imaging device, in which the data includes information corresponding to measurements of the flow field over time within a chamber; performing, for each of the plurality of frames, the following operations including: generating, for a respective frame, a data correction based on an interaction of the flow field with the chamber, applying the data correction to a velocity field corresponding to the respective frame, and imposing an incompressibility constraint for the flow field on one or more data points of the respective frame; and generating, subsequent to imposing the incompressibility constraint, a plurality of corrected velocity fields each of which corresponds to one of the plurality of frames.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for determining one or more parameters related to the forces exchanged between a fluid and a surrounding container from sequences of images of the boundary surface of such container, the method comprising: a) expressing the boundary surface S(t) of the container as a series of meshes s, each mesh identified by a position vector x(s,t); b) calculating, or receiving in input, the instantaneous velocity vector v(s,t) at each position x(s,t); c) calculating, or receiving in input, the vector n(s,t) normal to the surface at each position x(s,t); d) calculating at each position x(s,t) a surface parameter f(s,t) as a function of the velocity vector v(s,t), the position vector x(s,t) and the normal vector n(s,t); e) deriving the parameter or the parameters related to the forces exchanged between the fluid and the surrounding container from such surface parameter f(s,t). A corresponding system and computer program are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring a flow of a fluid in a vessel of a body of a living being is provided. The method comprises obtaining a first image data set representing the vessel filled with a first fluid, the first image data set comprising at least one first image frame and the first fluid contrasting with matter surrounding the vessel and obtaining a second image data set representing the vessel substantially void of the first fluid, the second image data set comprising at least one second image frame. Based on the first image data set and the second image set, an estimated location of the vessel in the second image set is estimated; and monitoring presence in the second data set of contrasting image data at the estimated location of the vessel is monitored.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for improving pacing settings of a pace maker, comprising: receiving a set of pacing settings for the pace maker; receiving measurements or fluid mechanics data relating to the heart of a subject for all or part of the pacing settings of the set; estimating hemodynamic forces parameters by elaborating such measurements or inputting hemodynamic forces parameters as received; estimating hemodynamic forces parameters in the heart of the subject by elaborating such hemodynamic forces; selecting an optimal pacing setting of the set, or calculating further pace settings, based on the hemodynamic forces parameters as estimated A corresponding device and computer program are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for improving pacing settings of a pace maker, comprising: receiving a set of pacing settings for the pace maker; receiving measurements or fluid mechanics data relating to the heart of a subject for all or part of the pacing settings of the set; estimating hemodynamic forces parameters by elaborating such measurements or inputting hemodynamic forces parameters as received; estimating hemodynamic forces parameters in the heart of the subject by elaborating such hemodynamic forces; selecting an optimal pacing setting of the set, or calculating further pace settings, based on the hemodynamic forces parameters as estimated A corresponding device and computer program are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and a device for analysis and display of blood flow information in the human or animal body are described. The method includes the following steps: a) providing a digital input data set including a time series of two or three dimensional velocity vector fields, wherein each velocity vector field represents the velocity of the blood flow within a blood vessel, especially of a heart chamber or part thereof, of a certain human or animal body within a certain time frame within one heart cycle, b) calculating a gradient vector field for each time frames from the time series of velocity vector fields; c) summing the gradients over the gradient vector field or a part thereof for each time frame to a summed gradient; and d) displaying and/or analyzing the summed gradients with reference to their space directions within the blood vessel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for quantitative dynamic evaluation of skeletal muscles functionality comprising the following steps: a) receiving one or more sequences of two-dimensional or three- dimensional echographic images of the muscle under investigation; b) transforming such sequence or sequences of images in sequences of measurements of deformations and/or strain rates in more spatial locations of the muscle or the muscles to evaluate; c) outputting such sequences of spatial measurements in numeric and/or graphical format. A corresponding device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and a device for analysis and display of blood flow information in the human or animal body are described. The method includes the following steps: a) providing a digital input data set including a time series of two or three dimensional velocity vector fields, wherein each velocity vector field represents the velocity of the blood flow within a blood vessel, especially of a heart chamber or part thereof, of a certain human or animal body within a certain time frame within one heart cycle, b) calculating a gradient vector field for each time frames from the time series of velocity vector fields; c) summing the gradients over the gradient vector field or a part thereof for each time frame to a summed gradient; and d) displaying and/or analyzing the summed gradients with reference to their space directions within the blood vessel.

Abstract: A method and device for transforming a Doppler velocity dataset into a velocity vector field, the including: (a) providing a 2D or 3D Doppler velocity dataset, acquired by means of 2D or 3D ultrasonography from an object; b) calculating a velocity vector field by assuming the velocity at each point of the dataset to be the sum of the provided Doppler velocity and an additional vector field derived from an irrotational flow velocity, and by assuming the velocity vector field to be mathematically continuous, therefore solving an elliptical equation of the Poisson type.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding system and medical data repository for medical imaging data management including: receiving medical images associated with an exam of a patient; storing the medical images; receiving clinical information derived from the medical images; arranging the clinical information in a database structured to allow retrieval of such clinical information independently from the retrieval of the stored medical images.

Abstract: A method and device for transforming a Doppler velocity dataset into a velocity vector field, the including: (a) providing a 2D or 3D Doppler velocity dataset, acquired by means of 2D or 3D ultrasonography from an object; b) calculating a velocity vector field by assuming the velocity at each point of the dataset to be the sum of the provided Doppler velocity and an additional vector field derived from an irrotational flow velocity, and by assuming the velocity vector field to be mathematically continuous, therefore solving an elliptical equation of the Poisson type.

Abstract: A measurement method of time varying events in a target body, including the steps of (a) providing time dependent measurements signals of parameters of the time varying events in the target body, (b) providing ecographic M-mode image data whose spatial direction is along scan-lines or along a line or curve on a 2D or 3D image of an image sequence, (c) defining a time interval within which the measurement signal has to be displayed and/or evaluated, (d) generating bi-dimensional graph information, (e) generating bi-dimensional M-mode images, (f) determining the time instant of begin of the time interval having a univoquely relation to time varying events, (g) rescaling the time scale of each graph, and (h) displaying the graph of the function corresponding to one or more of the time dependent measurement signal on a background.

Abstract: The invention relates to a medical data management method and system wherein medical data (22c) and identification data (22b) associated with the medical data (22c) of said patient (6) is received, said medical data (22c) and said identification data (22b) is stored as a medical file (22) in a storage system (2), wherein at least parts of said medical files (22) are modified for generating at least one modified file (22?) in response to a retrieval request from an unauthorized recipient (Ni), wherein such modification depends on an authorization code (42) associated with said unauthorized recipient (Ni), and wherein said at least one modified file (22?) is supplied to said unauthorized recipient (Ni) or the unmodified medical file (22) is supplied to an authorized recipient (6, 7). The invention enables a worldwide medical database for research and global health interests, by at the same time safeguarding the legitimate interests of the patient.

Abstract: A method of tracking position and velocity of objects' borders in two or three dimensional digital images, particularly in echographic images. A sequence is acquired of at least two consecutive ultrasound image frames of a moving tissue or a moving object. The frames are separated by a certain time interval. Reference points define a border of the moving tissue or object and the border is automatically tracked by estimating the position of the reference points in following image frames on the basis of the ultrasound image data of the acquired sequence of image frames.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for estimating tissue velocity vectors and oriented strain from ultrasonic diagnostic imaging data. Reference points are defined from evaluation of image data derived from reflected ultrasonic beams in order to determine the direction of motion and the velocity vector of the reference points. The velocity of motion for corresponding reference points between two successive image frames is determined by applying a particle image velocimetry technique. Components of the tissue strain is then obtained from time integration of the strain-rate that is determined from the gradient of velocity estimated from the velocity data in two or more reference points.

Abstract: A new method is introduced able to track the motion of a thin object, e.g. a wall, from a series of digital field data (e.g. images) in order to analyze field information corresponding to the moving position of the object. The method is based on the extraction of M-mode images where the wall can be identified and the wall properties can be extracted and analyzed. The digital implementation of the method into electronic equipments improves the quality of the information that can be extracted from field data and the potential diagnostic capability when applied to echographic medical imaging.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating images representative of the flow potential of a permeable body. The following steps are part of the disclosed method. First, providing a first sequence of digital images of the body perfused by a fluid at a rest condition. Then extracting a first quantification image of the spatial distribution of flow of the fluid in the body at the rest condition, the first quantification image being defined by pixel values. Next, providing a second sequence of digital images of the body perfused by the fluid at a stress condition. Then extracting a second quantification image of the spatial distribution of flow of the fluid in the body at the stress condition, the second quantification image being defined by pixel values. Then, combining the two quantification images to obtain an image defined by pixel values.

Abstract: Flow is characterized in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging. The flow information over time for each spatial location may be broken down into component parts using Fourier analysis. For example, the average or steady state component of the flow at each location may be determined and used for imaging. The first harmonic may likewise be used. Imaging using one or more component parts of the flow information over time may provide diagnostically useful information. In addition or independently, the flow information may be analyzed to identify a vortex. The vortex characteristics may provide diagnostically useful information.

Abstract: A method of tracking position and velocity of objects' borders in two or three dimensional digital images, particularly in echographic images comprises the steps of: Acquiring a sequence of at least two consecutive ultrasound image frames of a moving tissue or a moving object which frames are timely separated by a certain time interval; Automatically or manually defining a certain number of reference points of a border of a moving tissue or object at least on a first image frame of the sequence of image frames acquired; Automatically tracking the border of the moving tissue or object in the at least one further following frame by determining the new position of the reference points of the border in at least one following image frame of the sequence of image frames by estimating the position of the said reference points in the said at least following image frame of the sequence of image frames on the basis of the ultrasound image data of the acquired sequence of image frames.

Abstract: A method for registering images of a sequence of images, particularly ultrasound diagnostic images and especially ultrasound diagnostic images of the heart. The method comprises the steps of: providing at least a first and a second digital or digitalized image or set of cross-sectional images of the same object; defining within one image a certain number of landmarks by selecting a certain number of pixels or voxels to be tracked; tracking the position of each pixel or voxel selected from one to another image of said set of images by determining the relative displacements; and registering the set of images by applying the inverse displacement to the pixels or voxels between the images of said set of images.