Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for position sensing of a medical tracker device are presented. The apparatus and method are designed to constrain, rotate, and track the position of a medical tool. o improve the position sensing of the tracker, a joint that provides two degrees of freedom may use a revolute gear pair together with a rotary sensor for angular motion sensing and a sliding/prismatic assembly together with a linear magnetic sensor for linear position sensing. Thus, the linear motion sensing and the angular motion sensing are decoupled.

Abstract: The present invention includes a utility for determining the severity of a stenosis in a blood vessel. In one aspect, a method for improving DSA image quality includes: (1) registration of the mask and bolus images prior to subtracting procedure to reduce the artifacts from misalignment; (2) enhancement of the registered DSA image by an anisotropic diffusion technique and a nonlinear normalization technique; and (3) detecting the boundary of blood vessel and quantitatively measuring percentage stenosis, which may be done automatically.

Abstract: A method and apparatus using a graphics processing unit (GPU) are disclosed for three-dimensional (3D) imaging and continuously updating organ shape and internal points for guiding targets during motion. It is suitable for image-guided surgery or operations because the speed of guidance is achieved close to video rate. The system incorporates different methods of rigid and non-rigid registration using the parallelism of GPU processing that allows continuous updates in substantially real-time.

Abstract: Provided herein are devices and methods for supporting and positioning a tracking assembly for mounting variously configured medical devices for prostate imaging, biopsy, and other therapeutic applications. In one aspect, a support assembly provides multiple degrees of freedom for positioning a tracking assembly and mounted probe relative to a patient on a patient support structure such as an examination table or a gurney bed and/or maintaining a tracking assembly and mounted probe in a desired location throughout the rendering of imaging, biopsy, or other therapeutic procedures.

Abstract: Provided herein are devices and methods for supporting and positioning a tracking assembly for mounting variously configured medical devices for prostate imaging, biopsy, and other therapeutic applications. In one aspect, a support assembly provides multiple degrees of freedom for positioning a tracking assembly and mounted probe relative to a patient on a patient support structure such as an examination table or a gurney bed and/or maintaining a tracking assembly and mounted probe in a desired location throughout the rendering of imaging, biopsy, or other therapeutic procedures.

Abstract: An improved system and method (i.e. utility) for registration of medical images is provided. The utility registers a previously obtained volume onto an ultrasound volume during an ultrasound procedure to produce a multimodal image. The multimodal image may be used to guide a medical procedure, In one arrangement, the multimodal image includes MRI and/or MRSI information presented in the framework of a TRUS image during a TRUS procedure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for performing software guided prostate biopsy to extract cancerous tissue. The method significantly improves on the current system by accelerating all computations using a graphical processing unit (GPU) keeping the accuracy of biopsy target locations within tolerance. The result is the computation of target locations to guide biopsy using statistical priors of cancers from a large population, as well as based on previous biopsy locations for the same patient, and finally via mapping protocols with predefined needle configurations onto the patient's current ultrasound image.

Abstract: A method includes acquiring first imaging information of a region of interest, said first imaging information providing data correlated to three spatial dimensions of a reference frame including said region of interest; acquiring second projection imaging information of said region of interest, said second imaging information providing data correlated to said reference frame but is lacking information concerning at least one spatial dimension; and processing said first and second imaging information such that said first imaging information is registered with said second imaging information.

Abstract: Provided herein are devices and methods for mounting variously configured medical imaging probes (“ultrasound probes”) to a positioning device for imaging applications. One aspect provides a probe holder that has a recessed surface adapted to securely support a particular ultrasound probe for interfacing the probe with a positioning device. Another aspect provides a probe holder that interconnects with a flexible joint to allow the probe holder to securely support a variety of different ultrasound probes and interface those probes with a positioning device.

Abstract: Systems are provided for managing, planning and displaying the location of biopsy core sites across multiple same-patient visits or other stored biopsy plans to increase the confidence and accuracy of biopsy results. The systems may allow the operator to fuse multiple predefined and/or automatically generated biopsy core site plans in addition to previous biopsy sites with a current prostate image to assist in creating a final new biopsy core site plan. Further, the system may allow the operator to selectively view singular parts of the final plan to simplify the planning process. Further, the systems may assist the operator during the navigation phase of the biopsy by hiding biopsy core sites from the final plan that are not of immediate interest during the biopsy phase and thereby reducing clutter and distraction during biopsy sample acquisition.

Abstract: Presented are systems and methods that allow for interpolation of a 3-D volume from arbitrarily oriented 2-D medical images. The interpolation of 3-D volume from arbitrarily oriented 2-D images reduces or eliminates most constraints on image acquisition thereby allowing for, inter alia, freehand manipulation of an image acquisition device (e.g. an ultrasound transducer). Related utilities involve the use of prior information about a specific object of interest to interpolate a surface (e.g., 3-D surface) of the object from limited information obtained from very few 2-D images.

Abstract: Guided biopsy is a commonly used method to remove suspicious tissues from an internal organ for pathological tests so that malignancy can be established. Provided herein are systems and methods (i.e., utilities) that allow for automated application of one or more predefined biopsy target plans to an acquired medical image including without limitation, an ultrasound prostate image. Due to different shapes and sizes of prostates as well as orientation of prostate with respect to an ultrasound probe during image, acquisition a simple prostate model (e.g., ellipse) with a fixed plan may not be sufficient. Accordingly, it has been determined that a deformable shape model with integrated biopsy target locations/sites may be fit to a prostate image to provide improved automated biopsy targeting.

Abstract: Provided herein are devices and methods for mounting variously configured medical imaging probes to a tracker assembly for imaging applications. In one aspect, a tracker assembly provides multiple degrees of freedom for positioning a probe relative to a patient and/or maintaining a probe in a desired location for imaging purposes. The tracker generates location information that may be utilized as frame of reference information for acquired images. In another aspect a holding device allows for interfacing/holding differently configured probes in a common orientation to a predetermined frame of reference.

Abstract: An improved system and method (i.e. utility) for segmentation of medical images is provided. The utility fits an estimated boundary on a structure of interest in an automated selection and lifting process. The estimated boundary may be a model boundary that is generated actual boundaries of like structures. In one arrangement, the boundaries may be selected based on the age and/or ethnicity of a patient. In further arrangements, narrow band processing is performed to estimate the actual boundary of the structure of interest.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for three-dimensional (3D) imaging and continuously updating organ shape and internal points for guiding targets during motion. It is suitable for image-guided surgery or operations as the speed of this guidance is achieved in real-time.

Abstract: An image guidance system is provided for improving tissue culture extraction where the tissue is extracted under the guidance of first and second knowledge-based systems. The first knowledge-based system provides initial suggested regions of interest for tissue biopsy in an internal organ. These regions of interest are then confirmed as being of interest of being benign by the second knowledge-based system. Information from two different sources may provide a more accurate, intelligent and robust method that helps in selecting biopsy sites accurately, such that suspicious regions are not overlooked and the benign regions are not unnecessarily operated upon. This not only helps in better diagnosis and treatment, but also helps reduce pain to the patient, in addition to reducing wastage of resources and invaluable time.

Abstract: Provided herein are improved biopsy systems and methods (i.e., utilities), which among other benefits, assist physicians with the selection biopsy sites based on temporally distinct images. More generally, the utilities allow for registering medical images such that information associated with a medical image obtained at a first time may be mapped to a subsequent medical image obtained at a subsequent time. This may result in improved diagnosis, better planning, better treatment delivery and/or follow-up.

Abstract: Provided herein is a medical imaging system that allows for real-time guidance of, for example, catheters for use in interventional procedures. In one arrangement, an imaging system is provided that generate a series of images or frames during a dye injection procedure. The system is operative to automatically detect frames that include dye (bolus frames) and frames that are free of dye (mask frames). The series of images may be registered together to provide a common reference frame and thereby account for motion. Sets of mask frames and bolus frames are averaged together, respectively, to improve signal to noise qualities. A differential image is generated utilizing the average mask and average bolus frames. Contrast of the differential image may be enhanced. The system allows for motion correction, noise reduction and/or enhancement of a differential image in real time.

Abstract: A system and method (i.e, utility) are disclosed for positioning a needle in three-dimensions based on patient related statistics for extracting tissue during biopsy procedures. Aspects of the utility can be applied independently or serve as an aid to the urologist when regions of interest are hard to discern in an ultrasound image. Regions of interest that correspond to high cancer risk regions (e.g., statistically) are automatically superimposed on an ultrasound image of a patient in real time. Additionally a statistical map based on one or more demographic parameters of a patient and containing cancer probability locations are also automatically mapped on the ultrasound image in real time displaying potential cancer locations. Aspects of the system are also capable of displaying optimal needle placement positions based on statistical priors and will be able to accurately navigate the needle to that position for biopsy extraction and/or treatment.

Abstract: A filtering method and apparatus for selectively filtering a gray scale angiographic image volume (54) that images vascular structures and that also contains extraneous non-vascular contrast is disclosed. A minimum vessel width parameter Wmin (70) is selected. A maximum vessel width parameter Wmax (132) is selected. A range of widths (66) are selected such that each vessel width parameter Wi (194) lies between Wmin (70) and Wmax (132) inclusive. For each Wi (194), an image Ii(x,y,z) (198) is generated that selectively retains imaged vascular structures of diameter Wi (194). The images Ii(x,y,z) (198) are combined to form a filtered image IF(x,y,z) (64) that selectively images the vascular structures.