Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter includes a computer system, method, and graphical user interface that provide graphical feedback indicating real-time proximity based on changes in electrical impedance sensed by electrodes of a catheter. As the impedance is related to proximity of the electrodes to the tissue walls, the system utilizes impedance measurements to visually alter appearance of a graphical representation of the electrodes according to changes in the sensed impedance. The graphical feedback enables the physician to make real-time adjustments to the catheter's positioning and applied force, and thereby enhance the precision and effectiveness of Intraluminal catheter therapy.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product, the method comprising: obtaining a plurality of electrical signals obtained from a plurality of electrodes distally disposed on a catheter inserted into one or more chambers of a heart of a patient, wherein one or more electrical signals obtained from one or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes obtains electrical activity in one or more locations within the heart; identifying one or more signals from the plurality of electrical signals as being emitted from one or more disconnected electrode, said identifying utilizing a correlation with a reference signal measured within the heart, wherein the reference signal is associated with a reference electrode; and generating a map of electrical activity within the heart based upon the plurality of electrical signals, excluding one or more electrical signals originating from the disconnected electrodes.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product, the method comprising: obtaining a plurality of electrical signals from a plurality of electrodes distally disposed on a catheter inserted into one or more chambers of a heart of a patient, wherein each electrode from at least some of the electrodes obtains electrical activity at a plurality of locations selectively accepting a portion of the plurality of electrical signals obtained; associating each electrode with a number of locations for which an electrical signal obtained by the electrode has been accepted; determining a selected part of the plurality of electrodes for which the number of locations is highest; and causing display of electrograms obtained by the selected part of the plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for mapping and displaying three dimensional surgical pathways within imaging of cranial structures derived from voxels of a cranial scan. Entry voxel and target voxel are selected as pathway endpoints. A series of respective neighbor voxels are mapped between the entry voxel and the target voxel to define a pathway. For each voxel Vxi,yi,zi in the series, an immediately succeeding voxel of voxel Vxi,yi,zi is selected from among the group of neighbor voxel of voxel Vxi,yi,zi which excludes neighbor voxels of the immediately preceding voxel of voxel Vxi,yi,zi. The selection is made by comparing selection weights determined based on relative distances with respect to the endpoint voxels and relative distance from voxels within a predetermined distance that represent at least a threshold density. The voxels of the pathway are then selectively highlighted in a displayed view to provide a visualization of the 3D surgical pathway.

Abstract: A system includes a catheter and a processor. The catheter includes a distal-end assembly coupled to a distal end of a shaft for insertion into a cavity of an organ of a patient, the distal-end assembly including (i) one or more functional electrodes configured to be placed in contact with wall tissue of the cavity and (ii) a reference electrode configured to be placed in the cavity but not in contact with the wall tissue. The processor is configured to (i) estimate one or more impedances between one or more of the functional electrodes and the reference electrode, and (ii) based on the impedances, determine, for at least a functional electrode from among the one or more functional electrodes, whether the functional electrode is in physical contact with the wall tissue.

Abstract: A method comprising: receiving a plurality of duplicates of a serial bit stream, wherein said serial bit stream comprises a sequence of data packets; continuously dividing each of said duplicates of said serial bit stream based on sequential time windows; with respect to each of said time windows, aligning said data packets associated with each of said duplicates of said serial bit stream, received within said time window, based, at least in part, on data packet similarity; and recreating in real time said serial bit stream by selecting at least one of said aligned data packets as representing a next data packet in said sequence of data packets.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical system, includes a catheter to be inserted into a chamber of a heart of a living subject, and including catheter electrodes configured to contact tissue at respective locations within the chamber of the heart, a display, and processing circuitry to receive signals from the catheter, and in response to the signals assess a respective quality of contact of each of the catheter electrodes with the tissue in the heart, and render to the display respective intracardiac electrograms traces representing electrical activity in the tissue that is sensed by the catheter electrodes at the respective locations, while modifying a visual feature of at least some of the traces responsively to the respective quality of contact of the catheter electrodes with the tissue of the heart at the respective locations.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical system, includes a catheter to be inserted into a chamber of a heart of a living subject, and including catheter electrodes configured to contact tissue at respective locations within the chamber of the heart, a display, and processing circuitry to receive signals from the catheter, and in response to the signals assess a respective quality of contact of each of the catheter electrodes with the tissue in the heart, and render to the display respective intracardiac electrograms traces representing electrical activity in the tissue that is sensed by the catheter electrodes at the respective locations, while modifying a visual feature of at least some of the traces responsively to the respective quality of contact of the catheter electrodes with the tissue of the heart at the respective locations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for mapping and displaying a three dimensional (3D) surgical pathway. Entry and target voxels are selected along with a semi-target voxel therebetween. Where voxels representing bone are between the entry and target voxels, the semi-target voxel is selected such that voxels representing bone are not within a shortest line between it and the entry voxel. A series of voxels through the semi-target voxel define the pathway. For each voxel V in the series between the semi-target voxel and one of the endpoint voxels, the immediately succeeding voxel of voxel V is selected from among the group of neighbor voxels of voxel V by comparing selection weights of each voxel determined a selected basis including relative distances with respect to the endpoint voxel and the semi-target voxel. The pathway voxels are selectively highlighted in a displayed view to provide a visualization of the 3D surgical pathway.

Abstract: A system includes a display and a processor. The processor is configured to (a) receive multiple electrophysiological (EP) signals acquired by multiple electrodes of a multi-electrode catheter that are in contact with tissue of a cardiac chamber, (b) reject one or more of the EP signals using a set of rejection criteria, and further process the EP signals that are not rejected, and (c) visualize to a user, on the display, (i) a current setting of the rejection criteria, and (ii) a rejection effectiveness of each of the rejection criteria at the current setting.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for mapping and displaying three dimensional surgical pathways within imaging of cranial structures derived from voxels of a cranial scan. Entry voxel and target voxel are selected as pathway endpoints. A series of respective neighbor voxels are mapped between the entry voxel and the target voxel to define a pathway. For each voxel Vxi,yi,zi in the series, an immediately succeeding voxel of voxel Vxi,yi,zi is selected from among the group of neighbor voxel of voxel Vxi,yi,zi which excludes neighbor voxels of the immediately preceding voxel of voxel Vxi,yi,zi . The selection is made by comparing selection weights determined based on relative distances with respect to the endpoint voxels and relative distance from voxels within a predetermined distance that represent at least a threshold density. The voxels of the pathway are then selectively highlighted in a displayed view to provide a visualization of the 3D surgical pathway.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for mapping and displaying a three dimensional (3D) surgical pathway. Entry and target voxels are selected along with a semi-target voxel therebetween. Where voxels representing bone are between the entry and target voxels, the semi-target voxel is selected such that voxels representing bone are not within a shortest line between it and the entry voxel. A series of voxels through the semi-target voxel define the pathway. For each voxel V in the series between the semi-target voxel and one of the endpoint voxels, the immediately succeeding voxel of voxel V is selected from among the group of neighbor voxels of voxel V by comparing selection weights of each voxel determined a selected basis including relative distances with respect to the endpoint voxel and the semi-target voxel. The pathway voxels are selectively highlighted in a displayed view to provide a visualization of the 3D surgical pathway.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for medical procedures are disclosed herein and include receiving, at a location agnostic system and at a first time, a first plurality of electronic signals each from a respective plurality of electrodes of a catheter. A subset of electronic signals of the first plurality of electronic signals may be received at a location aware system. The location aware system may determine a location of the catheter within an intra-body organ. The location aware system may determine that the catheter is in contact with the tissue at the location, based on the subset of electronic signals and at least one tissue property at the location. A location agnostic system contact profile for the catheter may be generated based on determining, by the location aware system, that the catheter is in contact with the tissue at the location.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical system, includes a catheter to be inserted into a chamber of a heart of a living subject, and including catheter electrodes configured to contact tissue at respective locations within the chamber of the heart, a display, and processing circuitry to receive signals from the catheter, and in response to the signals assess a respective quality of contact of each of the catheter electrodes with the tissue in the heart, and render to the display respective intracardiac electrograms traces representing electrical activity in the tissue that is sensed by the catheter electrodes at the respective locations, while modifying a visual feature of at least some of the traces responsively to the respective quality of contact of the catheter electrodes with the tissue of the heart at the respective locations.

Abstract: A striped composed video image is disclosed, in which a main segment image is displayed with a strip of small strip segments. The strip of small strip segments is composed from a plurality of video images from a plurality of video streams. A user may pull video from the strip into the main segment. The strip of small strip segments may scrolled without affecting the main segment.

Abstract: A method comprising: receiving a plurality of duplicates of a serial bit stream, wherein said serial bit stream comprises a sequence of data packets; continuously dividing each of said duplicates of said serial bit stream based on sequential time windows; with respect to each of said time windows, aligning said data packets associated with each of said duplicates of said serial bit stream, received within said time window, based, at least in part, on data packet similarity; and recreating in real time said serial bit stream by selecting at least one of said aligned data packets as representing a next data packet in said sequence of data packets.

Abstract: A striped composed video image is disclosed, in which a main segment image is displayed with a strip of small strip segments. The strip of small strip segments is composed from a plurality of video images from a plurality of video streams. A user may pull video from the strip into the main segment. The strip of small strip segments may scrolled without affecting the main segment.

Abstract: A striped composed video image is disclosed, in which a main segment image is displayed with a strip of small strip segments. The strip of small strip segments is composed from a plurality of video images from a plurality of video streams. A user may pull video from the strip into the main segment. The strip of small strip segments may scrolled without affecting the main segment.

Abstract: A technique allows delivering content in a videoconference among a plurality of conferees in multiple quality levels. Content distributed from a multipoint control unit that is connected to an endpoint that delivers the content to receiving endpoints may have two or more quality levels. The quality level can be adapted to the capabilities of the receiving endpoints and the current quality of the connection that is used to deliver the content toward the receiving endpoints. The quality level associated with an endpoint may change during a session dynamically, adapting the delivery mode to changes in the condition of the connection between the receiving endpoints and the multipoint control unit.

Abstract: A technique allows delivering content in a videoconference among a plurality of conferees in multiple quality levels. Content distributed from a multipoint control unit that is connected to an endpoint that delivers the content to receiving endpoints may have two or more quality levels. The quality level can be adapted to the capabilities of the receiving endpoints and the current quality of the connection that is used to deliver the content toward the receiving endpoints. The quality level associated with an endpoint may change during a session dynamically, adapting the delivery mode to changes in the condition of the connection between the receiving endpoints and the multipoint control unit.