Abstract: A bed exit warning system is used in monitoring a user on a bed that include one or more sensors for measuring one or more physiological characteristics of the user and for producing corresponding signals indicative of the one more physiological characteristics. A processor is configured to monitor the corresponding signals and to determine the likelihood that the user is about to get out of the bed from changes in the one or more physiological characteristics.

Abstract: There is therefore provided a user feedback engine, comprising a message generation module for generating messages for a user; a queue management module for managing a queue of the generated messages; wherein each message includes respective values for a plurality of parameters including a priority, a period of validity and a non-repeat time; and wherein the queue management module manages the messages in the queue in accordance with the respective values.

Abstract: Methods for displaying a vessel with the aid of intravascular ultrasound images and current location and cycle information provided by detectors and sensors. A sequence of intravascular ultrasound images are stored and indexed-by location and by heartbeat and breathing phase. During a subsequent medical intervention, ultrasound images that correspond to the current phase and location of an object of interest such as a catheter can be selected and displayed on a monitor in real time along with an x-ray image of the vessel, the display showing the geometric position of the ultrasound images with reference to the x-ray image.

Abstract: There is provided a control system for an adjustable height bed, the adjustable height bed having a raised position and a lowered position, the control system comprising an input for receiving signals from a sensor located in the adjustable height bed; and a processor for processing the received signals to determine the status of a user relative to the bed and for generating control signals for adjusting the bed to the raised position or to the lowered position on the basis of the determined status.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating visual detection of one or more catheter tips in relation to the morphology of an anatomical structure include locating reference catheters relative to heart tissue using an automated navigation support that draws upon prominent image features that are visible in the x-ray fluoroscopy images. The prominent features include catheter tips of reference catheters that are placed at known standard positions in relation to the anatomical structures. Based on the noted prominent features, the systems and methods achieve alignment of the anatomical structures, e.g., the heart morphology, with the interventional devices, e.g., ablation catheter(s) introduced by the physician, and generate a fused or overlaid image.

Abstract: There is therefore provided a user feedback engine, comprising a message generation module for generating messages for a user; a queue management module for managing a queue of the generated messages; wherein each message includes respective values for a plurality of parameters including a priority, a period of validity and a non-repeat time; and wherein the queue management module manages the messages in the queue in accordance with the respective values.

Abstract: A diagnostic imaging system (10) corrects metal artifact streaks (38) emanating from a metal object (36) in a tomographic image (T). A first processor (40) reduces streaks (38) caused by mild artifacts by applying an adaptive filter (82). The filter (82) is perpendicularly oriented toward the center of the metal object (36). The weight of the filter (82) is a function of the local structure tensor and the vector pointing to the metal object (36). If it is determined that the strong artifacts are present in the image, a second processor (48) applies a sinogram completed image algorithm to correct for severe artifacts in the image. The sinogram completed image and adaptively filtered image are fused to a final corrected image. In the fusion process, highly corrupted tomographic regions are replaced by the result of the sinogram completed image and the remainder is replaced by the adaptively filtered image.

Abstract: There is provided a bed exit warning system for use in monitoring a user on a bed that comprises one or more sensors for measuring one or more physiological characteristics of the user and for producing corresponding signals indicative of the one or more physiological characteristics; and a processor adapted to monitor the corresponding signals and to determine the likelihood that the user is about to get out of the bed from changes in the one or more physiological characteristics.

Abstract: Images of static vascular maps (B), which were taken at different phases of the cardiac cycle and/or the respiratory cycle and were archived in a memory (6), are superimposed on a current image (A) of a catheter (2, 8) in the vascular system (9). In the method, a defined section of a map image (B) around the estimated actual position of the catheter is selected and is displayed superimposed on the current image (A) on a monitor (10). The map image (B) used for this is preferably selected by an electrocardiogram to match the particular cardiac cycle. The position of the catheter relative to the map image (B) is estimated using a distance image (D).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for generating individualized exercise movies. Generalized exercises are modified by factoring in individual limitations and schedules. The generalized exercises are in a data format that allows their representation for example as avatar movements. The individual limitations also correspond to this data format. After combination of the data a motion sequence is generated which depicts the exercise that the patient should perform but wherein the motion sequence does not display any motions that the patient cannot perform. This motion or video sequence is then viewed by the patient and serves as instruction for his exercises.

Abstract: In a system and a method for the guidance of a catheter with an electrode in an electrophysiological procedure, sequence of images of the catheter and of a resting reference catheter is generated with an X-ray device and stored together with the associated electrographic recordings from the electrodes. A reference image may then be selected from said sequence that corresponds to a desired electrographic pattern. In a next step, the positions of the catheters are localized on the reference image. The position of the reference catheter can be identified with the position of this catheter on an actual image. Thus it is possible to determine on the actual image also a target position for the catheter that corresponds to the position of this catheter on the reference image. The target position may finally be indicated on a monitor to assist the guidance of the catheter to a desired location.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating visual detection of one or more catheter tips in relation to the morphology of an anatomical structure—in real-time—are provided. The disclosed systems and methods are particularly useful for locating reference catheters relative to heart tissue using an automated navigation support that draws upon prominent image features that are visible in the x-ray fluoroscopy images. According to exemplary embodiments, prominent features include one or more catheter tips of reference catheter(s) that are typically placed at known standard positions in relation to the anatomical structures. Based on the noted prominent features, the systems and methods of the present disclosure are effective in achieving alignment of the anatomical structures, e.g., the heart morphology, with the interventional devices, e.g., ablation catheter(s) introduced by the physician, and generating a fused or overlaid image. Advantageous computer software products are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for data acquisition in computed tomography (CT) applications are provided. The systems and methods are particularly adapted for scanning and acquiring/processing data in connection with high-power cone-beam CT applications. The electron beam is moved/scanned along the anode surface to multiple focal positions. Data acquisition for a full projection at one focus position and one view angle is achieved by activating each focus position multiple times during the data acquisition for one angle of the gantry. The detector array and associated data processing system are adapted to rapidly switch between the different focus positions during the acquisitions for one view angle and to collect all data belonging to the same projection into the same data set. Adaptive electron optics are utilized to move/scan the electron beam along the anode surface to the various focus positions.

Abstract: In real-time three-dimensional imaging the choice of the visualization method and orientation is crucial for intervention success. The key question is what to ignore and what to show in real-time applications, where user control is not appropriate. An intervention (caused by a user) to an object of interest is visualized without the requirement of an interactive input by the user. Parameters for a visualization procedure are automatically chosen during data acquisition which may allow for an efficient tracking of the actual orientation and relative position of the structure with respect to the object of interest.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for displaying a vessel (2) with the aid of intravascular ultrasound images (I). A sequence of intravascular ultrasound images (I(E,x)) is generated by means of a probe (5) and stored in a memory (10) in a manner indexed by the associated location (x) where they were generated and also the associated heartbeat phase (E) and/or breathing phase. During a subsequent medical intervention, those ultrasound images (I1, I2, I3) which best correspond to the heartbeat phase of a current fluoroscopic image (At) or belong to the current stopping location of a catheter (13) can be selected from the memory (10) and displayed on a monitor (12).

Abstract: It is described a model-based estimation of the current contraction status (S) of a periodically contracting object such as a beating heart. Thereby, a characteristic feature that is directly related to the contraction status (S) is extracted from a current image (340) and subsequently compared to a model that gives the contraction status (S) of the heart in dependence on the characteristic feature. Thereby, an appropriate patient-individual model may be obtained e.g. from an ECG gated pre-interventional data set. A potential characteristic feature is the distance between two arbitrary reference catheters (341a, 341b, 342a, 342b) that are usually in a fix known standard position during a whole electrophysiological intervention. The knowledge about the current contraction status may be used to combine the current image with other images depicting the object in the same contraction status.

Abstract: The present invention includes a sheath (10) for guiding materials in a body cavity. The sheath comprises a tubular structure having an exterior surface (12) of a sidewall (13) and a lumen (14) enclosed by an interior surface (16) of the sidewall. The sidewall has a duct (18) containing a magnetorheological fluid. Also presented is a method for navigating a sheath (60) comprising introducing the distal end of the sheath to a passage (62) in the patient's body; manipulating the rigidity of the magnetorheological fluid by applying a magnetic field; and positioning the sheath. A navigable catheter and sheath assembly is also presented.

Abstract: A surgical assembly comprising a needle tip (100) connected to a flexible tube (102) filled with a magnetorheo logical (MR) fluid. In order to guide the assembly through body tissue along a desired arbitrary path, the physician successively bends the needle tip (100) to re-orient it toward a desired direction of travel, applies a magnetic field in relation to the MR fluid to cause it to stiffen, applies forward pressure to the device to move it in the desired direction and then removes the magnetic field to return the MR fluid to its initial state.

Abstract: Systems and methods for data acquisition in computed tomography (CT) applications are provided. The systems and methods are particularly adapted for scanning and acquiring/processing data in connection with high-power cone-beam CT applications. The electron beam is moved/scanned along the anode surface to multiple focal positions. Data acquisition for a full projection at one focus position and one view angle is achieved by activating each focus position multiple times during the data acquisition for one angle of the gantry. The detector array and associated data processing system are adapted to rapidly switch between the different focus positions during the acquisitions for one view angle and to collect all data belonging to the same projection into the same data set. Adaptive electron optics are utilized to move/scan the electron beam along the anode surface to the various focus positions.

Abstract: Cardiac ablation is automated to require minimal user intervention, to thereby reduce X-ray exposure to staff and patients, increase patient throughput, simplify ablation and make ablation more precise. Steering between ablation points on the heart is automatic by use of a localizer system (132) and a magnetic navigator (160). Ablation is performed, interrupted and detected as complete automatically by monitoring system parameters (S630, S670). Ablation path planning automatically takes into account particular heart morphology of the patient and specifications of the catheter system (S310, S330), and automatically saves to storage an optimal ablation path from which ablation points are then selected (S340, S350).