Abstract: A method for identifying target regions in a tissue for local drug delivery, wherein functional and/or structural anatomical data such as edema and/or resection cavity is captured by an imaging system, and wherein the anatomical data is evaluated by segmentation techniques such as region-growing-based methods with computer assistance to determine a margin around a resection cavity and/or the volume of edema, the margin and/or the volume of edema being the target tissue for local drug delivery.

Abstract: A treatment simulator for providing information on physiological states and effects of treatment of neurological disease, comprising a computer, and an application configured to operate with the computer. The application is capable of: obtaining radiological imaging from the brain; obtaining anatomical information from the radiological imaging within a region of interest within the brain; constructing a physiological states model which assesses physiological states of the region of interest; locating sources of interstitial flow of particulate matter and obtaining fluid conductivities of paths of the interstitial flow utilizing the anatomical information and the physiological states model; and creating a flow model of the particulate matter which assesses velocities of flow and interstitial pressure variations utilizing the sources of interstitial flow and the fluid conductivities.

Abstract: A method for estimating the physiological parameters defining the edema induced upon infusion of fluid from an intraparenchymally placed catheter including; a) acquisition of patient-specific medical data; b) estimation of pertinent tissue microstructure based on the patient-specific medical data and/or generalized information derived or drawn from one or more of the following: experience, literature, modeling, studies, research, analysis; c) acquisition of information about delivery parameters, and/or delivery device geometry, and/or fluid properties, such as: delivery device trajectory, flow rate, pressure, catheter diameter, catheter profile, fluid viscosity, fluid molecular size; and d) computing a field of values of predicted extracellular volume fraction over the tissue region using the information obtained in (b) and (c).

Abstract: A method for determining a backflow of a substance along a track of a delivery device includes: a) obtaining parameters that influence the flow of the fluid or substance; b) acquiring information about delivery data; and c) computing the backflow along the delivery device using the information in steps a) and b).

Abstract: A surgical alignment device is shown that is controlled remotely through the use of an actuator, where the actuator in turn controls at least one local adjustment device. The alignment device is suited for neurosurgery, although it is not exclusively limited to neurosurgery. The alignment device includes an insertion guide that is coupled to the local adjustment device, the insertion guide being used to guide a device such as a catheter into a patient. The alignment device may also be coupled to a control module such as a microcomputer that controls the orientation of the insertion guide in response to inputs from the surgeon as to a location of interest within the patient.

Abstract: A surgical alignment device is disclosed that is controlled remotely through the use of an actuator, where the actuator in turn controls at least one local adjustment device. The alignment device is suited for neurosurgery, although it is not exclusively limited to neurosurgery. The alignment device includes an insertion guide that is coupled to the local adjustment device, the insertion guide being used to guide a device such as a catheter into a patient. The alignment device may also be coupled to a control module such as a microcomputer that controls the orientation of the insertion guide in response to inputs from the surgeon as to a location of interest within the patient.

Abstract: A medical device for delivering material through tissue into a defined area of a patient may comprise: a material delivery element through which the material may flow out of a delivery end; the delivery end having an opening that can be inserted through a surface of the tissue; and a sealing system proximal to the delivery end that can extend away from the material delivery element along the surface of the tissue and apply pressure to the tissue after the material delivery element has been inserted through the surface of the tissue. A physical barrier may be provided on the material delivery device to reduce back flow loss of delivered material.

Abstract: A medical imaging processing method includes: using an imaging method to acquire at least first and second data sets of a region of interest of a patient's body, with at least one image acquisition parameter being changed so that first and second data sets yield different contrast levels relating to different substance and/or tissue types, and wherein the at least one acquisition parameter used to obtain the first data set is selected to enhance the contrast between one of the substance and/or tissue types relative to other substance and/or tissue types, and the at least one acquisition parameter used to obtain the second data set is selected to enhance the contrast between a different one of the substance and/or tissue types relative other substance and/or tissue types, thereby to optimize the contrast between at least three different substance and/or tissue types: and processing the two data sets to identify the different tissue types and/or boundaries therebetween.

Abstract: A method supplies a dynamic vector map of properties within a region or a unified suite of quantification functionality for property functions, such as density functions, conduction functions (e.g., thermal conduction, electrical conduction, atomic or subatomic mass conduction, macromolecular mass conduction), defined on, defined in or defining a three-dimensional space, which functions may optionally vary in time.

Abstract: A contents display and search system for navigating and searching and exploring a collection of objects includes a database of Attributes; each of the Attributes being associated with one or more objects, and a database of Kinds, each Kind being associated with one or more Attributes. When a user enters a search query including at least one Attribute, an object is tested to determine whether it has Attributes of the Kind corresponding to the Kind of the at least one specified Attribute before function testing is performed. Search and contents investigation results are presented in a hierarchical format in which Kinds and Attributes rather than objects, are displayed until the search or content type is further specified by selecting additional Kinds and/or Attributes such that the number of objects satisfying the specified search is below a threshold. User interaction modifies the hierarchical order of Kinds and Attributes in the display.

Abstract: A contents display and search system for navigating and searching and exploring a collection of objects includes a database of Attributes; each of the Attributes being associated with one or more objects, and a database of Kinds, each Kind being associated with one or more Attributes. When a user enters a search query including at least one Attribute, an object is tested to determine whether it has Attributes of the Kind corresponding to the Kind of the at least one specified Attribute before function testing is performed. Search and contents investigation results are presented in a hierarchical format in which Kinds and Attributes rather than objects, are displayed until the search or content type is further specified by selecting additional Kinds and/or Attributes such that the number of objects satisfying the specified search is below a threshold. User interaction modifies the hierarchical order of Kinds and Attributes in the display.

Abstract: The visualization of procedural guidelines for a medical procedure, in which a medical instrument is shown in an image representation of a body portion including an area in which a medical procedure is to be carried out, wherein, in the vicinity of the functional portion of the instrument, regions or locations are indicated which are of special relevance to the procedure according to established guidelines for said procedure.

Abstract: A method supplies a dynamic vector map of properties within a region or a unified suite of quantification functionality for property functions, such as density functions, conduction functions (e.g., thermal conduction, electrical conduction, atomic or subatomic mass conduction, macromolecular mass conduction), defined on, defined in or defining a three-dimensional space, which functions may optionally vary in time.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping anatomical connection and signaling across a multiplicity of channels, channel contents, and channel speed. In particular, the anatomical connection and signaling is mapped in relation to the human brain. Constructs a three-dimensional, dynamically structured, active model, for general or individual patterns. Uses for the present invention include: risk reduction in surgery to significant channels; planning cell insertion at sites where they can be expected to migrate to a less reachable target site; guiding searches for metastatic tumors; indirectly localizing brain structures; constructing models of disease in which multiple sites are involved in the deficit and any proposed repair; and building simulation of normal processes which require the sequential interaction of multiple sites.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for determining an optimal manner of introducing and moving an introduced entity from an introduction site to a target tissue region. The method comprises: calculating a modeling value at the introduction site, the pathway to the target tissue region, and the target tissue region; calculating a diffusion value representing a concentration gradient of the introduced entity as it moves through the introduction site, the pathway, and the target tissue region; calculating a flow value representing how the introduced entity is transported through the introduction site, the pathway, and the target tissue region; and determining a time, location, and method for introducing and moving the introduced entity based on the modeling value, the diffusion value, and the flow value.

Abstract: A method for identifying advantageous and non-advantageous infusion regions in the tissue includes capturing at least one of (i) functional anatomical data and (ii) structural anatomical data. The captured anatomical data is evaluated with computer assistance. Based on the evaluating step, the method includes determining infusion distribution information, such as directional and velocity information.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for evaluating the acceptability of a device for the delivery of cells in a cell implantation therapy comprising: determining a first rate of cell survival in a stable environment, evaluating a second rate of survival during a procedure using a device that manipulates cells, and comparing the first and second rates of survival to determine the effect of the device used during the procedure on cell survival rates to establish a base line effect of the manipulative procedure on cell survivability. That method may be practiced wherein after determining the second survival rate, modifying the design of the device, evaluating a third rate of survival after modifying the design of the device to determine if the change has increased the rate of survival during the procedure. The method is particularly effective where the procedure is selected from the group consisting of cell harvesting, cell transport, cell implantation, and cell delivery.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for calibrating a movable receiver coil with spatially varying signal reception profile in a magnetic resonance imaging environment is described. The method of the invention calibrates the movable receiver coil with spatially varying signal reception profile by dividing the receiver coil into parts and determining electromagnetic interactions of the parts in the environment. The method further includes (1) estimating orientation and position information corresponding to the receiver coil and (2) associating electromagnetic interaction data with records such as (a) responses of the receiver coil in various tissue environments to emissions caused by stimuli from external magnetic resonance coils, (b) high-resolution external receiver coil records of emissions from same environments, and (c) measurements of self-interactions and mutual interactions among the parts of the receiver coil.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for calibrating a movable receiver coil in a magnetic resonance imaging environment is described. The method of the invention calibrates the movable receiver coil by dividing the receiver coil into parts and determining electromagnetic interactions of the parts in the environment. The method further includes (1) estimating orientation and position information corresponding to the receiver coil and (2) associating electromagnetic interaction data with records such as (a) responses of the receiver coil in various tissue environments to emissions caused by stimuli from external magnetic resonance coils, (b) high-resolution external receiver coil records of emissions from same environments, and (c) measures of self-interactions and mutual interactions among the parts of the receiver coil. The parts of the receiver coil may be connected in series or parallel.

Abstract: A class of customizable injection devices or delivery instruments whose basic form is a stiff tube with holes of user-selectable size at several user-selectable places is described. The use of this device includes a method of selection and construction of a particular device from such a class of devices for a particular treatment procedure using computer-assisted means. Thus, the user may make selections among available or creatable choices (such as selection of hole size, selection of hole location, number of holes, etc.), and a method can be practiced for making such user-selection serve the goals of delivery of materials such as drugs, cells, or of devices sufficiently small and numerous to be delivered in fluid suspension.