Abstract: A stress prediction device for predicting mechanical stress exerted to a deformable object due contact between the object and an external device that is to be inserted into the object at an intended insertion position comprises a segmentation unit configured to access generic model data representing a generic reference object that comprises predefined secondary landmark features at predefined landmark positions, which are not identifiable using a predefined imaging technique, and pre-insertion object image data acquired using the imaging technique. It provides segmented object model data which comprises associated mapped landmark position data indicative of mapped landmark positions of the secondary landmark features. A stress determination unit determines and provides predictive stress information indicative of mechanical stress exerted to at least one of the secondary landmark features at the associated mapped landmark position due to mechanical contact between the object and the external device.

Abstract: An active marker device (100) is introducible into a human tissue and for tracking a region of interest of a human body. The active marker device includes a light source (101) for emitting light such that the emitted light can be detected by an optical sensor. In this way, the active marker device and/or the region of interest can be tracked by a tracking system including the optical sensor. The active marker device (100) also includes a switch (102) for turning the light source on and off and for operating the light source in a pulsed mode.

Abstract: An imaging method includes obtaining projection data for a helical scan of a subject. The method further includes reconstructing, for a particular time and image slice location of interest, a first temporal motion state image at an earlier time on the detector array and offset from the central row in a first direction with projection data from a first to subset of detector rows, and reconstructing, for the particular time and image slice location, a second temporal motion state image at a later time on the detector array and offset from the central row in a second direction with projection data from a second different subset of detector rows. The method further includes estimating a distortion vector field between the first and second temporal motion state images, and constructing motion compensated volu-metric image data with a motion compensated reconstruction algorithm using the distortion vector field to compensate for arbitrary motion.

Abstract: An ultrasound system is disclosed comprising an ultrasound transducer array (100) comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer cells (130), each of said cell having an independently adjustable position and/or orientation such as to conform an ultrasound transmitting surface of the cell to a region of a body and a controller (140). The controller is configured to register the respective ultrasound transducer cells by simultaneously operating at least two ultrasound transducer cells in a transmit mode in which the cells transmit distinguishable ultrasound signals and operating the remaining ultrasound transducer cells in a receive mode.

Abstract: The invention addresses the problem of correctly positioning a catheter and reducing radiation doses. It relates to an X-ray imaging system (1) for a robotic catheter, comprising said catheter (3), and a processing unit (5) for receiving X-ray images of a patient environment (15). By being adapted to receive one or more auxiliary information items and using said information for determining the catheter position, the processing unit does not entirely have to rely on a large number of scanned image data, thus helping to reduce radiation while correctly delivering the catheter position as a function of as few as a single image, preferably 2D, and said one auxiliary information items. Further, said processing unit allows for at least one of rendering an image and provide said image to a visualization device (21), and providing feedback, e.g. steering commands, to said robotic catheter.

Abstract: A controller (260) for identifying rotation of an interventional medical device (252) includes a memory that stores instructions and a processor that executes the instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions cause the controller (260) to execute a process that includes receiving (S410) a first signal emitted from the interventional medical device (252) and corresponding to a first predetermined direction relative to the interventional interventional medical device (252) relative to a fixed rotation.

Abstract: A system (SC) for controlling operation of a multi-focal-spot X-ray imager (IA). The system comprises a projection direction determiner (PDD) configured to determine a projection direction for an object (OB) to be imaged, based on a geometric structure of a model m(OB) for the object (OB). A selector (SX) of the system is configured to select, from the imager (IA)'s plurality of focal-spot-detector pairs (IPj) with different optical axes (OXj), at least one target pair whose optical axis corresponds to the determined projection direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to tomosynthesis. In order to further facilitate and improve the generation of three-dimensional image data, an X-ray imaging system (10) for calibration-free tomosynthesis is provided. The system comprises an imaging arrangement (12) with an X-ray detector unit (14) and an X-ray unit (16) comprising a plurality of X-ray sources (18). The system also comprises an image processing unit (20), an object receiving space (22), and a moving unit (24) for providing a relative movement between the imaging arrangement and an object of interest arranged at least partially in the object receiving space. The X-ray sources are provided in a known spatial relationship; the X-ray detector unit and the X-ray unit are also provided in a known spatial detector-sources-relationship. The moving unit provides a relative movement between the object of interest and the imaging arrangement in order to provide a plurality of system-to-object positions.

Abstract: A method includes determining at least one characteristic about a stenosis in a vessel of a patient from image data of the stenosis, mapping the characteristic to a predefined stenosis characteristic to fractional flow reserve value look up table, identifying the fractional flow reserve value in the look up table corresponding to the characteristic, and visually presenting the image data and the identified fractional flow reserve value. A system includes memory storing a pre-defined stenosis characteristic to fractional flow reserve value look up table, a metric determiner (118) that maps at least one characteristic about a stenosis in a vessel of a patient, which is determined from image data of the stenosis, to a characteristic in the look up table and identifies a fractional flow reserve value corresponding to the characteristic, and a display (116) that visually presents the image data and the identified fractional flow reserve value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a data processor (1) for processing 3D radiographic imaging data. The processor comprises an input (2) for receiving the imaging data and for providing a motion signal indicative of a motion of the imaged subject. The processor comprises an image segmenter (4) for segmenting a body part of interest in a first image included in or derived from the imaging data, and a gating function calculator (5) for calculating temporal gating functions for voxels that belong to the body part taking the motion signal into account. The processor comprises an image reconstructor (3) for reconstructing the imaging data into reconstructed three-dimensional images, by taking the temporal gating functions into account such as to associate each of the reconstructed three-dimensional images with a corresponding phase of the motion.

Abstract: The invention relates to triesters of cyclohexanetripropionic acid, preparation thereof and use thereof as plasticizers for polymers.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assistance device, an assistance system and an assistance method for assisting a practitioner in an interventional hemodynamic (e.g fractional flow reserve (FFR)) measurement on a subject. The FFR pressure measurements are combined with an, for example, angiography-based assessment of the coronary vessel geometry. An advanced computational fluid dynamics model may be employed to add flow and myocardial resistance data based on the interventional pressure values and on a vascular model generated prior to the intervention. In case that these data are available prior to the intervention, the location of most optimal positions for pressure measurements can be pre-calculated and by overlay of the vessel tree, for example, on the X-ray projection, advice can be given for the interventional cardiologist during the intervention.

Abstract: An apparatus for assessing a coronary vasculature and a corresponding method are provided which allow to globally assess a coronary artery disease directly from the contrast agent dynamics as derived from diagnostic images acquired using an invasive medical imaging modality by following the time course of the area occupied by the vessels in the diagnostic images.

Abstract: Mechanical image acquisition systems (such as medical C-arms) frequently accumulate geometrical errors which must be calibrated out using a calibration phantom. A more frequent regime of system calibration implies a less frequent use of the C-arm for clinical applications. The present application proposes to identify common biases between the acquired projection frame sequences from the same mechanical image acquisition system in first and second acquisitions, and to compare this to expected calibration data of the mechanical image acquisition system to generate frame deviation measures. If a resemblance between the first and second sequences of frame deviation measures is obtained, one or more calibration actions are performed (such as alerting the user that calibration should be provided, and/or automatically correcting for the geometry deviation).

Abstract: Motion compensated reconstruction is currently not well-suited for reconstructing the valve, the valve leaflets and the neighboring vascular anatomy of the heart. Blurring of the valve and the valve leaflets occurs. This may lead to wrong diagnosis. A new approach for motion compensated reconstruction of the valve and the related anatomy is presented in which an edge-enhancing step is performed to suppress blurring.

Abstract: The present invention relates to medical instrument tracking. In order to facilitate tracking a medical instrument, a system (100) is provided for tracking a medical instrument. The system comprises an instrument marker (14), a tracking arrangement (16), and a processing unit (18). The instrument marker is attached to the medical instrument on a marker position (20). The tracking system is configured to detect line segments (22) in the 5 field of interest and to detect the attached instrument marker. The processing unit is configured to identify a line segment (24) on which the attached instrument marker is detected as the medical instrument, and to determine an offset (26) between a position of a medical instrument tip (28) and the marker (14) by touching a reference marker (34) on the subject with the medical instrument (10).

Abstract: A measurement system for measuring a length of movement of an elongate intraluminal device. Cameras are included to obtain three-dimensional video data of movement of an elongate intraluminal device by hand. The video data is processed to track the movement of the elongate intraluminal device in three dimensions to provide the length measurement of movement of the elongate intraluminal device.

Abstract: A computing system (118) includes a computer readable storage medium (122) with computer executable instructions (124), including a biophysical simulator (126) and an electrocardiogram signal analyzer (128). The computing system further includes a processor (120) configured to execute the electrocardiogram signal analyzer determine myocardial infarction characteristics from an input electrocardiogram and to execute the biophysical simulator to simulate a fractional flow reserve or an instant wave-free ratio index from input cardiac image data and the determined myocardial infarction characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a determination of a physiological functional parameter of a living being. Ultrasound image data and Doppler image data of a vessel structure are provided (101) and registered (102). The vessel structure is segmented (103) to generate (104) a representation of the vessel structure. The flow velocity inside a vessel of the vessel structure is determined (105) based on the Doppler image data. A physiological functional parameter determination model defining a value of a functional physiological parameter in dependence of a representation of a vessel structure and a flow velocity inside a vessel of the vessel structure is used (106) to determine (107) the physiological functional parameter inside the vessel of the vessel structure. The representation of the vessel structure and/or the flow velocity values can be constantly updated upon receipt of further input images to provide an estimation of the functional physiological parameter in real-time.

Abstract: A computing system (118) includes a computer readable storage medium (122) with computer executable instructions (124), including: a biophysical simulator (126) configured to simulate coronary or carotid flow and pressure effects induced by a cardiac valve device implantation, using cardiac image data and a device model (212). The computing system further includes a processor (120) configured to execute the biophysical simulator to simulate the coronary or carotid flow and the pressure effects induced by the device implantation with the cardiac image data and the device model. The computing system further includes a display configured to display results of the simulation.