Abstract: The present invention relates to imaging a hollow organ. In order to provide an improved and facilitated imaging of a hollow organ of interest, a device (10) for providing three-dimensional data of a hollow organ is provided that comprises a measurement input (12), a data processor (14) and an output interface (16). The measurement input is configured to receive a plurality of local electric field measurements (18) of at least one electrode on a catheter inserted in a lumen of a hollow organ of interest. The measurement input is also configured to receive geometrical data (20) representative of the location of the at least one electrode inside the lumen during the measurements. The data processor is configured to receive pre-set electric field characteristics (22) associated with predetermined anatomical landmarks of the hollow organ expectable in the lumen in dependency of a type of the hollow organ.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of graphically presenting an indicating marker over a 3-D model of a tissue surface during a catheterization procedure, comprising determining a region over the 3-D model, deforming the indicating marker to congruently match a shape defined by the 3-D model across the region at a plurality of positions; and rendering the 3-D model into an image including the deformed indicating marker by generating an image of the 3-D model covered by said deformed indicating marker.

Abstract: Methods for estimating of the effectiveness of catheter ablation procedures to form lesions. Lesion effectiveness parameters are received, and effectiveness of a corresponding ablation (optionally planned, current, and/or already performed) is estimated. The estimating is based on use by computer circuitry of an estimator constructed based on observed associations between previously analyzed lesion effectiveness parameters, and observed lesion effectiveness. The estimator is used by application to the received lesion effectiveness parameters.

Abstract: A disaster response system includes a communication infrastructure including a plurality of sensor assemblies configured to generate data indicative of at least one of environmental conditions, motion, position, chemical detection, and medical information; and wirelessly provide the generated data to the communication infrastructure. The system also includes an incident command infrastructure configured to exchange data with the communication infrastructure; and detect an incident based on the data from the sensor assemblies. The system also includes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to deliver a payload in response to the detected incident.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for visualizing a reference location of an electrophysiology device in an anatomical image are provided. According to one embodiment, an electrophysiological mapping and guidance system includes a processor circuit in communication with a catheter carrying a plurality of electrodes. The processor circuit controls the plurality of electrodes to obtain electrical measurements (e.g., voltage measurements) of an electrical field induced within an anatomical cavity. The processor circuit computes a reference location of the plurality of electrodes based on distortions in the electromagnetic field detected at a first time, computes a current location of the plurality of electrodes based on distortions in the electromagnetic field detected at a later second time, and outputs a signal to cause simultaneous display of a first visualization of the reference location and a second visualization of the current location.

Abstract: There is provided a computerized method of tracking a position of an intra-body catheter, comprising: physically tracking coordinates of the position of a distal portion of a physical catheter within the physical body portion of the patient according to physically applied plurality of electrical fields within the body portion and measurements of the plurality of electrical fields performed by a plurality of physical electrodes at a distal portion of the physical catheter; registering the physically tracked coordinates with simulated coordinates generated according to a simulation of a simulated catheter within a simulation of the body of the patient, to identify differences between physically tracked location coordinates and the simulation coordinates; correcting the physically tracked location coordinates according to the registered simulation coordinates; and providing the corrected physically tracked location coordinates for presentation.

Abstract: An embodiment of a disaster response system is disclosed that includes a communication and monitoring environment (CME). The CME includes an incident command infrastructure, and a communication infrastructure configured to exchange data with the incident command infrastructure. The communication infrastructure includes a network comprising a plurality of sensor assemblies that are configured to wirelessly communicate with the communication infrastructure. The sensor assemblies are configured to acquire data that includes at least one of environmental conditions, motion, position, chemical detection, and medical information. One or more of the sensors are configured to aggregate data from a subset of the plurality of sensors. The CME is configured to detect an incident based on at least the data acquired by the sensor assemblies.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for guiding an ablation procedure are provided. For example, in one embodiment, a system for guiding ablation includes a processor circuit in communication an electrophysiology (EP) catheter comprising a plurality of electrodes. The EP catheter is positioned near an ablation balloon during placement at the ablation site, and is used to detect blood flow within a cavity of the heart by detecting electrical signals relating to dielectric properties. It can then be determined whether any gaps are present at the interface between the balloon and the ablation site. For example, the processor circuit can determine, based on the detected blood flow, whether a balloon occludes a region of interest. The processor then outputs a visualization indicating whether the balloon occludes the region of interest to a display.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a body cavity shape of a subject is reconstructed based on intrabody measurements of at least one property of an electromagnetic field by an intrabody probe (for example, a catheter probe) moving within a plurality of electrical fields intersecting the body cavity. In some embodiments, the electrical fields are generated at least in part from electrodes positioned in close proximity, for example, within 1 cm, of the body cavity. In some embodiments, the body cavity is a chamber of a heart (for example, a left atrium or left ventricle), and the electrodes used to generate the electrical field are positioned in the coronary sinus, a large vein occupying the groove between the left atrium and left ventricle. In some embodiments, known distances between measuring electrodes are used in guiding reconstruction, potentially overcoming difficulties of reconstruction from measurements of non-linear electrical fields.

Abstract: A method of estimating a spatial relationship between at least a part of a patient esophagus and a heart chamber, including: measuring at least one electric parameter at one or more positions within the heart chamber to obtain measured values; and estimating the spatial relationship based on the measured values.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a body cavity shape of a subject is reconstructed based on intrabody measurements of voltages by an intrabody probe (for example, a catheter probe) moving within a plurality of differently-oriented electromagnetic fields crossing the body cavity. In some embodiments, the method uses distances between electrodes as a spatially calibrated ruler. Positions of measurements made with the intrabody probe in different positions are optionally related by using spatial coherence of the measured electromagnetic fields as a constraint. Optionally, reconstruction is performed without using a detailed reference (image or simulation) describing the body cavity shape. Optionally, reconstruction uses further information to refine and/or constrain the reconstruction; for example: images, simulations, additional electromagnetic fields, and/or measurements characteristic of body cavity landmarks. Optionally, reconstruction accounts for time-dependent cavity shape changes, for example, phasic changes (e.g.

Abstract: In some embodiments, data sensed and/or operational parameters used during a catheterization procedure are used in the motion frame-rate updating and visual rendering of a simulated organ geometry. In some embodiments, measurements of and/or effects on tissue by sensed and/or commanded probe-tissue interactions are converted into adjustments to the simulated organ geometry, allowing dynamic visual simulation of intra-body states and/or events based on optionally partial and/or non-visual input data. Adjustments to geometry are optionally to 3-D positions of simulated data and/or to simulated surface properties affecting geometrical appearances (e.g., normal mapping). Optionally, the organ geometry is rendered as a virtual material using a software environment (preferably a graphical game engine) which applies simulated optical laws to material appearance parameters affecting the virtual material's visual appearance.

Abstract: There is provided a method of displaying a pre-acquired three dimensional (3D) image of at least a portion of an organ of a patient, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of electrical readings, each from a different electrode mounted on a catheter inside the portion of the organ of the patient, wherein the electrodes are mounted on the catheter at known distances from each other, transforming the plurality of electrical readings to a corresponding plurality of image points using a mapping transformation that transforms each electrical reading of the catheter from inside the portion of the organ of the patient to an anatomically corresponding image point in the 3D image based on the known distances, and displaying the 3D image with a marking of at least one of the plurality of image points.

Abstract: Registration of catheter-sensed intrabody voltage field measurements obtained along one or more tracks of catheter advance of withdrawal is made, in some embodiments, to reference voltage field measurements lying along predetermined tracks. Tracks optionally comprise the course of a blood vessel such as the superior or inferior vena cava, a path defined and/or limited by encounters with a wall of a heart chamber and/or apertures thereof, and/or another track of catheter motion. In some embodiments, transform parameters are propagated to regions away from the track, potentially allowing more rapid acquisition of targets.

Abstract: Methods for creation and use (e.g., for navigation) of displays of flattened (e.g., curvature-straightened) 3-D reconstructions of tissue surfaces, optionally including reconstructions of the interior surfaces of hollow organs. In some embodiments, data comprising a 3-D representation of a tissue surface (for example an interior heart chamber surface) are subject to a geometrical transformation allowing the tissue surface to be presented substantially within a single view of a flattened reconstruction. In some embodiments, a catheter probe in use near the tissue surface is shown in positions that correspond to positions in 3-D space sufficiently to permit navigation; e.g., the probe is shown in flattened reconstruction views nearby view regions corresponding to regions it actually approaches. In some embodiments, automatic and/or easily triggered manual view switching between flattened reconstruction and source reconstruction views is implemented.

Abstract: A method of estimating a spatial relationship between at least a part of a patient esophagus and a heart chamber, including: measuring at least one electric parameter at one or more positions within the heart chamber to obtain measured values; and estimating the spatial relationship based on the measured values.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a body cavity shape of a subject is reconstructed based on intrabody measurements of voltages by an intrabody probe (for example, a catheter probe) moving within a plurality of differently-oriented electromagnetic fields crossing the body cavity. In some embodiments, the method uses distances between electrodes as a spatially calibrated ruler. Positions of measurements made with the intrabody probe in different positions are optionally related by using spatial coherence of the measured electromagnetic fields as a constraint. Optionally, reconstruction is performed without using a detailed reference (image or simulation) describing the body cavity shape. Optionally, reconstruction uses further information to refine and/or constrain the reconstruction; for example: images, simulations, additional electromagnetic fields, and/or measurements characteristic of body cavity landmarks. Optionally, reconstruction accounts for time-dependent cavity shape changes, for example, phasic changes (e.g.

Abstract: In some embodiments, data sensed and/or operational parameters used during a catheterization procedure are used in the motion frame-rate updating and visual rendering of a simulated organ geometry. In some embodiments, measurements of and/or effects on tissue by sensed and/or commanded probe-tissue interactions are converted into adjustments to the simulated organ geometry, allowing dynamic visual simulation of intra-body states and/or events based on optionally partial and/or non-visual input data. Adjustments to geometry are optionally to 3-D positions of simulated data and/or to simulated surface properties affecting geometrical appearances (e.g., normal mapping). Optionally, the organ geometry is rendered as a virtual material using a software environment (preferably a graphical game engine) which applies simulated optical laws to material appearance parameters affecting the virtual material's visual appearance.