Abstract: A method to characterize shape variations in brain ventricles during embryonic growth in mammals, the method including extracting a brain ventricle skeleton from one or more images, calculating a volume profile for the skeleton using the extracted images, partitioning the brain ventricle based on the volume profile along the skeleton, the brain ventricle being partitioned into two lateral ventricles and a main ventricle, the main ventricle being further partitioned into three sub regions, determining volume vectors of the two lateral ventricles and the three sub regions, computing a means square error between the determined computed volume vectors and a pretrained mean volume vector of embryos during different gestational stages, and classifying the embryo to the gestational stage having the lowest mean square error.

Abstract: A method to segment images that contain multiple objects in a nested structure including acquiring an image; defining the multiple objects by layers, each layer corresponding to one region, where a region contains an innermost object and all the objects nested within the innermost object; stacking the layers in an order of the nested structure of the multiple objects, the stack of layers having at least a top layer and a bottom layer; extending each layer with padded nodes; connecting the top layer to a sink and the bottom layer to a source, wherein each intermediate layer between the top layer and the bottom layer are connected only to the adjacent layer by undirected links; and measuring a boundary length for each layer.

Abstract: A method to characterize shape variations in brain ventricles during embryonic growth in mammals, the method including extracting a brain ventricle skeleton from one or more images, calculating a volume profile for the skeleton using the extracted images, partitioning the brain ventricle based on the volume profile along the skeleton, the brain ventricle being partitioned into two lateral ventricles and a main ventricle, the main ventricle being further partitioned into three sub regions, determining volume vectors of the two lateral ventricles and the three sub regions, computing a means square error between the determined computed volume vectors and a pretrained mean volume vector of embryos during different gestational stages, and classifying the embryo to the gestational stage having the lowest mean square error.

Abstract: A method to characterize shape variations in brain ventricles during embryonic growth in mammals, the method including extracting a brain ventricle skeleton from one or more images, calculating a volume profile for the skeleton using the extracted images, partitioning the brain ventricle based on the volume profile along the skeleton, the brain ventricle being partitioned into two lateral ventricles and a main ventricle, the main ventricle being further partitioned into three sub regions, determining volume vectors of the two lateral ventricles and the three sub regions, computing a means square error between the determined computed volume vectors and a pretrained mean volume vector of embryos during different gestational stages, and classifying the embryo to the gestational stage having the lowest mean square error.

Abstract: A method to segment images that contain multiple objects in a nested structure including acquiring an image; defining the multiple objects by layers, each layer corresponding to one region, where a region contains an innermost object and all the objects nested within the innermost object; stacking the layers in an order of the nested structure of the multiple objects, the stack of layers having at least a top layer and a bottom layer; extending each layer with padded nodes; connecting the top layer to a sink and the bottom layer to a source, wherein each intermediate layer between the top layer and the bottom layer are connected only to the adjacent layer by undirected links; and measuring a boundary length for each layer.

Abstract: A method to characterize shape variations in brain ventricles during embryonic growth in mammals, the method including extracting a brain ventricle skeleton from one or more images, calculating a volume profile for the skeleton using the extracted images, partitioning the brain ventricle based on the volume profile along the skeleton, the brain ventricle being partitioned into two lateral ventricles and a main ventricle, the main ventricle being further partitioned into three sub regions, determining volume vectors of the two lateral ventricles and the three sub regions, computing a means square error between the determined computed volume vectors and a pretrained mean volume vector of embryos during different gestational stages, and classifying the embryo to the gestational stage having the lowest mean square error.

Abstract: A quantitative method to analyze phase-resolved, raw backscatter echo data or the envelope of phase-resolved, raw backscatter echo data to characterize vitreous inhomogeneities as they relate to normal aging and vitreo-retinal disease. The technique can be applied to 2D or 3D data acquired from the vitreous. The approach provides an objective end value to characterize the vitreous and provide a tool for early diagnosis, monitoring and planning treatment of vitreo-retinal diseases.

Abstract: A method to increase the image formation speed in an annular-array digital ultrasound system consisting of N elements with a plurality of transmit and receive channels. Selectively dropping one or more transmit or receive channels during image formation reduces the amount of data needed to form an image, thus increasing the image formation frame rate through faster scan speeds or reducing the amount of digitized data required to process an image. The improved frame rate does result in some reduction in resolution, SNR and potentially DOF, but these drawbacks can be mitigated by synthetically recovering missing transmit-to-receive data pairs.

Abstract: A quantitative method to analyze phase-resolved, raw backscatter echo data or the envelope of phase-resolved, raw backscatter echo data to characterize vitreous inhomogeneities as they relate to normal aging and vitreo-retinal disease. The technique can be applied to 2D or 3D data acquired from the vitreous. The approach provides an objective end value to characterize the vitreous and provide a tool for early diagnosis, monitoring and planning treatment of vitreo-retinal diseases.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating high frequency ultrasound transducers are provided herein. In one embodiment, the fabrication includes depositing a copperclad polyimide film, a layer of epoxy on the copperclad polyimide film, and a polyvinylidene fluoride film on the epoxy. The assembly of materials are then pressed to bond the polyvinylidene fluoride film to the copperclad polyimide film and to form an assembly. The polyvinylidene fluoride film being one surface and the copperclad polyimide film being the other surface. The area behind the copperclad polyimide film surface is filled with a second epoxy, and then cured to form an epoxy plug.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating high frequency ultrasound transducers are provided herein. In one embodiment, the fabrication includes depositing a copperclad polyimide film, a layer of epoxy on the copperclad polyimide film, and a polyvinylidene fluoride film on the epoxy. The assembly of materials are then pressed to bond the polyvinylidene fluoride film to the copperclad polyimide film and to form an assembly. The polyvinylidene fluoride film being one surface and the copperclad polyimide film being the other surface. The area behind the copperclad polyimide film surface is filled with a second epoxy, and then cured to form an epoxy plug.

Abstract: The system and method for optoacoustic imaging of peripheral tissues provides an assembly for emitting radiation on a tissue and an OCT system coupled to said assembly. The OCT system images tissue concurrent with the emission of radiation on the tissue.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for measuring acoustic pressure at multiple locations simultaneously. An array transducer device is prepared where a polyimide film is bonded to a piezopolymer membrane using a non-conductive epoxy. The polyimide is etched with a linear array pattern having array elements, connection pads and electrical connections connecting the array elements to the connection pads. The array pattern is electronically accessed by linking traces of a customized printed circuit board to the electrical connections of the array pattern via ZIF connectors.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating high frequency ultrasound transducers are provided herein. In one embodiment, the fabrication includes depositing a copperclad polyimide film, a layer of epoxy on the copperclad polyimide film, and a polyvinylidene fluoride film on the epoxy. The assembly of materials are then pressed to bond the polyvinylidene fluoride film to the copperclad polyimide film and to form an assembly. The polyvinylidene fluoride film being one surface and the copperclad polyimide film being the other surface. The area behind the copperclad polyimide film surface is filled with a second epoxy, and then cured to form an epoxy plug.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating high frequency ultrasound transducers are provided herein. In one embodiment, the fabrication includes depositing a copperclad polyimide film, a layer of epoxy on the copperclad polyimide film, and a polyvinylidene fluoride film on the epoxy. The assembly of materials are then pressed to bond the polyvinylidene fluoride film to the copperclad polyimide film and to form an assembly. The polyvinylidene fluoride film being one surface and the copperclad polyimide film being the other surface. The area behind the copperclad polyimide film surface is filled with a second epoxy, and then cured to form an epoxy plug.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating high frequency ultrasound transducers are provided herein. In one embodiment, the fabrication includes depositing a copperclad polyimide film, a layer of epoxy on the copperclad polyimide film, and a polyvinylidene fluoride film on the epoxy. The assembly of materials are then pressed to bond the polyvinylidene fluoride film to the copperclad polyimide film and to form an assembly. The polyvinylidene fluoride film being one surface and the copperclad polyimide film being the other surface. The area behind the copperclad polyimide film surface is filled with a second epoxy, and then cured to form an epoxy plug.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating high frequency ultrasound transducers are provided herein. In one embodiment, the fabrication includes depositing a copperclad polyimide film, a layer of epoxy on the copperclad polyimide film, and a polyvinylidene fluoride film on the epoxy. The assembly of materials are then pressed to bond the polyvinylidene fluoride film to the copperclad polyimide film and to form an assembly. The polyvinylidene fluoride film being one surface and the copperclad polyimide film being the other surface. The area behind the copperclad polyimide film surface is filled with a second epoxy, and then cured to form an epoxy plug.

Abstract: Diagnostic ultrasound is used to measure distance from a transducer to selected tissue structure. In one arrangement, the focal point of a high intensity focused ultrasound transducer is adjusted in accordance with measured distance to the selected tissue structure. In a second arrangement a transducer transport apparatus moves a transducer to maintain a selected distance from tissue structure.

Abstract: Diagnostic ultrasound is used to measure distance from a transducer to selected tissue structure. In one arrangement, the focal point of a high intensity focused ultrasound transducer is adjusted in accordance with measured distance to the selected tissue structure. In a second arrangement a transducer transport apparatus moves a transducer to maintain a selected distance from tissue structure.