An ultrasonic system useful for providing imaging, therapy and temperature monitoring generally comprises an acoustic transducer assembly configured to enable the ultrasound system to perform the imaging, therapy and temperature monitoring functions. The acoustic transducer assembly comprises a single transducer that is operatively connected to an imaging subsystem, a therapy subsystem and a temperature monitoring subsystem. The ultrasound system may also include a display for imaging and temperature monitoring functions. An exemplary single transducer is configured such that when connected to the subsystems, the imaging subsystem can generate an image of a treatment region on the display, the therapy subsystem can generate high power acoustic energy to heat the treatment region, and the temperature monitoring subsystem can map and monitor the temperature of the treatment region and display the temperature on the display, all through the use of the single transducer. Additionally, the acoustic transducer assembly can be configured to provide three-dimensional imaging, temperature monitoring or therapeutic heating through the use of adaptive algorithms and/or rotational or translational movement. Moreover, a plurality of the exemplary single transducers can be provided to facilitate enhanced treatment capabilities.

Imaging, therapy, and temperature monitoring ultrasonic system

The present invention is an OCT imaging system user interface for efficiently providing relevant image displays to the user. These displays are used during image acquisition to align patients and verify acquisition image quality. During image analysis, these displays indicate positional relationships between displayed data images, automatically display suspicious analysis, automatically display diagnostic data, simultaneously display similar data from multiple visits, improve access to archived data, and provide other improvements for efficient data presentation of relevant information.

User interface for efficiently displaying relevant oct imaging data

Finger-worn user input devices and methods for operating same. In some embodiments, a device includes at least one rotatable section (112, 112', 912) and an indication mechanism (116, 116a, 130, 516, 526, 616, 816, 826, 836, 1316, 1416, 1616, 2116, 2222, 2320, 2720, 3524) for indicating either a device use or a device state. In some embodiments, a device includes a stationary section (114), at least one rotatable section (112, 912) and an indication mechanism. In some embodiments, one or more rotatable sections are tiltable. In some embodiments, a device further includes one or more mechanisms selected from mechanisms used for sensing (118, 128, 128a, 134, 136, 1216), communication (140), power generation (616, 3342), light generation (526), vibration generation (516), reflection (816, 826, 836), illumination (3616), projection (3420), physical feedback (340) and magnetic influence (736).

Finger-worn devices and related methods of use

An endovascular access and guidance system (100) has an elongate body (105) with a proximal end (110) and a distal end (115); a non-imaging ultrasound transducer (120) on the elongate body configured to provide in vivo non-image based ultrasound information of the vasculature of the patient; an endovascular electrogram lead (130) on the elongate body in a position that, when the elongate body is in the vasculature, the endovascular electrogram lead electrical sensing segment provides an in vivo electrogram signal of the patient; a processor (140) configured to receive and process a signal from the non-imaging ultrasound transducer and a signal from the endovascular electrogram lead; and an output device configured to display a result of information processed by the processor.

Apparatus and method for endovascular device guiding and positioning using physiological parameters

Methods for treating a network of organs including generating a map of at least a portion of the network of organs using a rendering system; selecting at least one treatment location within the luminal passageway of the network of organs; and applying an energy therapy to the treatment location to treat the smooth muscle tissue, where the energy therapy applied to the respective treatment location is defined by a plurality of parameters that are associated with a map. Such a system allows for historical or ideal treatment parameters to be identified, visually or otherwise to actual treatment locations. Also, control systems and methods for delivery of energy that may include control algorithms that prevent energy delivery if a fault is detected and may provide energy delivery to produce a substantially constant temperature at a delivery site. In some embodiments, the control systems and methods may be used to control the delivery of energy, such as radiofrequency energy, to body tissue, such as lung tissue.

Control systems for delivering energy

Methods and systems for measuring transducer movement are provided. For example, free-hand scanning for three-dimensional imaging is provided. An optical sensor within the transducer measures motion along the skin surface similar to measuring movement of a personal computer mouse with an optical sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the transducer is tilted at an angle other than perpendicular to the skin surface generally towards or away from the direction in which the transducer is translated. The transducer is then translated while maintaining the angle. Motion to or from the transducer is measured, and a component of the motion measured while the transducer is maintained at an angle is parallel to the direction of translation. The component of motion is angle corrected and used to determine a distance of travel.

Measuring transducer movement methods and systems for multi-dimensional ultrasound imaging

An ultrasound imaging system produces three-dimensional tissue/flow images by first computing a plurality of separate two-dimensional tissue images and two-dimensional flow images. Separate tissue and flow volumes are created by applying the tissue and flow images to a three-dimensional construction algorithm. Each of the separate tissue and flow volumes is analyzed using a three-dimensional rendering algorithm to produce a rendered tissue and flow image. The separately rendered tissue and flow images are combined to produce the combined tissue/flow image. In addition, the present invention provides visual cues that allow a user to create more even scans. The invention also includes a method for correcting for probe movement. The invention also produces an image that is calculated from the partial volume data as it is being created to give a user feedback on the quality of the image they are producing. Finally, the invention compensates for variations in the cardiac cycle when selecting data to be used in creating a flow volume.

Three-dimensional tissue/flow ultrasound imaging system

A system and a method of managing 2-D images, as well as any saved 3-D volume data that was used to derive the 2-D images, utilize a bookmark saver that operates to automatically save, for each 2-D image saved, the settings of viewing parameters for the corresponding 3-D volume data when the 2-D image was saved. The automatic saving feature executed by the bookmark saver ensures that the underlying 3-D volume data, if saved, is retrieved in the viewing configuration that was set when the 2-D image of interest was saved. This feature allows a user of the system to efficiently return to work that was previously suspended or terminated. In an exemplary embodiment, the system is an ultrasound imaging system. However, the system may also be an imaging system based on magnetic resonance, computed tomography technology, or other modalities. In a preferred embodiment, the 2-D bitmap data of the 2-D image being saved and the viewing parameters that were used to manipulate the underlying 3-D volume data are saved in the same data file, known as a “bookmark.” The bookmark also includes information that identifies the corresponding 3-D volume, which allows the system to infer the existence of a relationship between the 2-D image and the underlying 3-D volume by searching to see if the underlying 3-D volume had been saved, thereby eliminating the need to store such information in a database.

Ultrasound imaging system and method to archive and review 3-D ultrasound data

A system and a method for three dimensional (3D) volume editing for medical imaging applications is disclosed. The method and system comprise the steps of projecting vertices of the at least one ROI in one plane and transforming the data within the at least one ROI to allow all of a plurality of slices on the inside of the at least one ROI to be along one axis of a three axis coordinate system. The method and system also includes representing the inside of the at least one ROI as a plurality of line segments, wherein only two coordinates and the length of a line segment are stored. The system and method is particularly useful for removing unwanted structure by defining one or more regions of interest (ROI) in freehand from an arbitrary slice of a 3D data volume. In a preferred embodiment, the system and method comprises a fast algorithm to process a set of compact ROI volumes to remove either the inside or the outside ROI volumes. Because the computational complexity is linear to the boundary of the ROI, the system and method can allow 3D volume editing to be faster and more user interactive.

Christian Deforge

Papers

Measuring transducer movement methods and systems for multi-dimensional ultrasound imaging

Three-dimensional tissue/flow ultrasound imaging system

Ultrasound imaging system and method to archive and review 3-D ultrasound data

Method and system for three-dimensional volume editing for medical imaging applications