Abstract: The application describes devices, systems and methods related to an implantable device that is a stent or a heart valve. The implantable device includes a pressure sensor. The implantable device is for being introduced into a subject and for being wirelessly read out by an outside reading system. The pressure sensor comprises a casing with a diffusion blocking layer for maintaining a predetermined pressure within the casing and a magneto-mechanical oscillator with a magnetic object providing a permanent magnetic moment. The magneto-mechanical oscillator transduces an external magnetic or electromagnetic excitation field into a mechanical oscillation of the magnetic object, wherein at least a part of the casing is flexible for allowing to transduce external pressure changes into changes of the mechanical oscillation of the magnetic object.

Abstract: For a gradient system (102, 300) for a magnetic resonance imaging system (100) a solution for improving the control of gradient fields for a higher image quality shall be created.

Abstract: The invention refers to a device (100) for detecting a working status of a medical implant (130), like a stent or bone implant, wherein a micro device (131) is integrated in and/or attached to the implant and comprises a magneto-mechanical oscillator configured to transduce a magnetic excitation field into a magnetic response field, wherein the response field is indicative of a temperature change of the micro device. The device comprises a transmit/receive unit (110) adapted to generate the excitation field, detect the response field, and transduce the detected response field into an electric response signal, and a controller (120) adapted to control the transmit/receive unit and further adapted to determine a change in a temperature of the micro device based on the electric response signal, and to determine the working status of the medical implant based on the determined change in the temperature of the micro device.

Abstract: A pressure sensing unit comprises a membrane and two permanent magnets inside the cavity. One magnet is coupled to the membrane, and at least one magnet is free to oscillate with a rotational movement. At least one magnet is free to oscillate with a rotational movement. The oscillation takes place at a resonance frequency, which is a function of the sensed pressure, which pressure influences the spacing between the two permanent magnets. This oscillation frequency can be sensed remotely by measuring a magnetic field altered by the oscillation. The pressure sensing unit may be provided on a catheter or guidewire.

Abstract: The invention relates to a marker device and a tracking system for tracking the marker device, wherein the marker device comprises a rotationally oscillatable magnetic object and wherein the rotational oscillation is excitable by an external magnetic field, i.e. a magnetic field which is generated by a magnetic field providing unit 20, 31 that is located outside of the marker device. The rotational oscillation of the magnetic object induces a current in coils, wherein based on these induced currents the position and optionally also the orientation of the marker device is determined. This wireless kind of tracking can be carried out with relatively small marker devices, which can be placed, for instance, in a guidewire, the marker devices can be read out over a relatively large distance and it is possible to use a single marker device for six degrees of freedom localization.

Abstract: A marker device to be tracked by a respective reading system is provided. which allows to track a position of a medical device with high accuracy using a magnetic field that is generated through movement of a plurality of magnetic objects in a foam-like medium. For this purpose, the foam-like medium is caused to oscillate using an externally applied excitation field. in particular an ultrasound excitation field. The movement of the plurality of magnetic objects causes a change in the magnetic field caused by the magnetic objects. This change may be detected by a respective magnetic response detector and used to determine the position of the marker device and. hence. the medical device.

Abstract: A wireless pressure sensing unit (20) comprises a membrane (25) forming an outer wall portion of a cavity and two permanent magnets (26,28) inside the cavity. One magnet is coupled to the membrane, and at least one magnet is free to oscillate with a rotational movement. At least one is free to oscillate with a rotational movement. The oscillation takes place at a resonance frequency, which is a function of the sensed pressure, which pressure influences the spacing between the two permanent magnets. This oscillation frequency can be sensed remotely by measuring a magnetic field altered by the oscillation. The wireless pressure sensing unit may be provided on a catheter (21) or guidewire.

Abstract: The invention relates to a marker device and a tracking system for tracking the marker device, wherein the marker device comprises a rotationally oscillatable magnetic object and wherein the rotational oscillation is excitable by an external magnetic field, i.e. a magnetic field which is generated by a magnetic field providing unit 20, 31 that is located outside of the marker device. The rotational oscillation of the magnetic object induces a current in coils, wherein based on these induced currents the position and optionally also the orientation of the marker device is determined. This wireless kind of tracking can be carried out with relatively small marker devices, which can be placed, for instance, in a guidewire, the marker devices can be read out over a relatively large distance and it is possible to use a single marker device for six degrees of freedom localization.

Abstract: Disclosed in some embodiments are microdevices, medical devices and a registration apparatuses that allow for tracking of medical device(s) in an ultrasound image while maintaining the quality of the ultrasound image. The microdevice comprises a casing and a magneto mechanical resonator. The magneto mechanical resonator comprises at least two magnetic objects providing a permanent magnetic moment. The magneto mechanical resonator is adapted to transduce an external excitation field into a mechanical movement of the at least two magnetic objects relative to each other such that a changing magnetic response field is generated. A pressure sensor is arranged such that an external ultrasound signal induces an additional movement of the magnetic objects such that the changing magnetic response field is changed in dependency of the external ultrasound signal.

Abstract: A wireless passive marker device (1) to be tracked and a respective tracking system (3) are provided which make use of a sensing unit (10) comprising a resonator element (11) with piezoelectric properties and a coil element (13), whereby an externally applied excitation field having a particular frequency is applied to act on the sensing unit (10) and wherein the sensing unit (10) responds to the externally applied excitation field by the resonator element (11) performing persisting mechanical oscillations in resonant mode, the persisting mechanical oscillations resulting in a piezoelectric voltage causing the coil element (13) to generate a magnetic field that may then be detected by the tracking system (3) and used for determining the position of the marker device (1) and/or sensing a physical property in the surrounding environment of the marker device (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a passive medical identification device 1 to be used for identifying a medical tool such as, for example, a surgical instrument, if the medical tool is equipped with the identification device. The identification device comprises a casing 2, a magnetic object 3 arranged within the casing such that it is rotatable out of an equilibrium orientation by an external magnetic torque, and a restoring torque provider 4 such as, for example, a further magnetic object providing a restoring torque forcing the magnetic object back into the equilibrium orientation. The magnetic object 3 rotationally oscillates upon excitation by an external magnetic torque, thereby generating a response magnetic signal which is transduced into an induction signal that can provide a fingerprint specific for the respective identification device. Accordingly, the identity of the identification device and hence of the medical tool equipped with the identification device can be determined based on the induction signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a medical microdevice (100) for insertion into a human body, wherein the microdevice allows for measuring at least one of a localization of the microdevice in a space and/or a physical parameter in the environment of the microdevice, wherein the microdevice comprises a casing (111) and within the casing a magneto mechanical rotator (110), wherein the magneto mechanical rotator comprises a magnetic object (113) providing a permanent magnetic moment and a rotary bearing (112) that is adapted to stabilize a rotational motion of the magnetic object, wherein the magneto mechanical rotator is adapted to transduce an external magnetic or electromagnetic excitation field into a mechanical rotation of the magnetic object relative to the rotary bearing such that a periodically changing magnetic response field is generated. The microdevice thus allows for an improved signal transmission and for a further miniaturization.

Abstract: A medical device for treating an associated patient includes a bronchial sensor device configured to measure fluid pressure in a bronchus of the associated patient; and an electronic controller configured to: receive the fluid pressure data from the bronchial sensor device; and calculate a fluid flow measurement through the bronchus based on the measured fluid pressure.

Abstract: The application describes devices, systems and methods related to an implantable device that is a stent or a heart valve. The implantable device includes a pressure sensor. The implantable device is for being introduced into a subject and for being wirelessly read out by an outside reading system. The pressure sensor comprises a casing with a diffusion blocking layer for maintaining a predetermined pressure within the casing and a magneto-mechanical oscillator with a magnetic object providing a permanent magnetic moment. The magneto-mechanical oscillator transduces an external magnetic or electromagnetic excitation field into a mechanical oscillation of the magnetic object, wherein at least a part of the casing is flexible for allowing to transduce external pressure changes into changes of the mechanical oscillation of the magnetic object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a passive pressure sensor (501) for being introduced into the circulatory system of a human being and for being wirelessly read out by an outside reading system. The pressure sensor comprises a casing (502) with a diffusion blocking layer for maintaining a predetermined pressure within the casing and a magneto-mechanical oscillator with a magnetic object (508) providing a permanent magnetic moment. The magneto-mechanical oscillator transduces an external magnetic or electromagnetic excitation field into a mechanical oscillation of the magnetic object, wherein at least a part of the casing is flexible for allowing to transduce external pressure changes into changes of the mechanical oscillation of the magnetic object. The pressure sensor can be very small and nevertheless provide high quality pressure sensing.

Abstract: A tracking system for tracking a marker device for being attached to a medical device is provided, whereby the marker device includes a sensing unit comprising a magnetic object which may be excited by an external magnetic or electromagnetic excitation field into a mechanical oscillation of the magnetic object, and the tracking system comprises a field generator for generating a predetermined magnetic or electromagnetic excitation field for inducing mechanical oscillations of the magnetic object, a transducer for transducing a magnetic or electromagnetic field generated by the induced mechanical oscillations of the magnetic object into one or more electrical response signals, and a position determination unit for determining the position of the marker device on the basis of the one or more electrical response signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measurement device 1 comprising a rotatable magnetic object 4 which can oscillate with a resonant frequency if excited by an external magnetic torque. The measurement device 1 is adapted such that the resonant frequency depends on the temperature or on another physical or chemical quantity like pressure, in order to allow for a wireless temperature measurement or measurement of the other physical or chemical quantity via an external magnetic field providing the external magnetic torque. This measurement device can be relatively small, can be read-out over a relatively larger distance and allows for a very accurate measurement.

Abstract: A tracking system for tracking a marker device for being attached to a medical device is provided, whereby the marker device includes a sensing unit comprising a magnetic object which may be excited by an external magnetic or electromagnetic excitation field into a mechanical oscillation of the magnetic object, and the tracking system comprises a field generator for generating a predetermined magnetic or electromagnetic excitation field for inducing mechanical oscillations of the magnetic object, a transducer for transducing a magnetic or electromagnetic field generated by the induced mechanical oscillations of the magnetic object into one or more electrical response signals, and a position determination unit for determining the position of the marker device on the basis of the one or more electrical response signals.

Abstract: A system for receiving signals from a magneto-mechanical oscillator includes a main coil array adapted to receive a response signal of the magneto-mechanical oscillator and to transmit an excitation signal to the magneto-mechanical oscillator, and an additional coil for receiving a signal of the magneto-mechanical oscillator. A localizer is adapted to localize the additional coil and comprises a controller for controlling the main coil array and the additional coil such that a received localization signal is generated, a sensitivity provider for providing sensitivity information, and a processor for determining a position and/or orientation of the additional coil based on the provided sensitivity information and based on the received localization signal. A kit is provided for upgrading a system with a main coil array, by adding one or more additional coils and providing software for locating the one or more additional coils with the use of a pilot tone transmission.

Abstract: The invention relates to a passive medical identification device 1 to be used for identifying a medical tool such as, for example, a surgical instrument, if the medical tool is equipped with the identification device. The identification device comprises a casing 2, a magnetic object 3 arranged within the casing such that it is rotatable out of an equilibrium orientation by an external magnetic torque, and a restoring torque provider 4 such as, for example, a further magnetic object providing a restoring torque forcing the magnetic object back into the equilibrium orientation. The magnetic object 3 rotationally oscillates upon excitation by an external magnetic torque, thereby generating a response magnetic signal which is transduced into an induction signal that can provide a fingerprint specific for the respective identification device. Accordingly, the identity of the identification device and hence of the medical tool equipped with the identification device can be determined based on the induction signal.