Devices, kits, systems and methods are described herein for treatment to skin, including but not limited to wound healing, the treatment, amelioration, and/or prevention of scars or keloids. Certain devices kits, systems and methods are used to select treatment parameters, devices or methods for treating skin in a location, zone, or region of skin having particular mechanical or other properties.

A method is used to manufacture a surgical instrument including a first tube, and a second tube. The first tube extends from a proximal first end portion to a distal first end portion. The second tube extends from a proximal second end portion to a distal second end portion. The second tube is positioned coaxially within the first tube with the distal second end portion positioned adjacent to the distal first end portion. The second tube defines a lumen. The sensor is secured proximal to the distal second end portion of the second tube. A die is engaged against a distal first end portion of the first tube while first tube rotates about its own longitudinal axis; and the die is simultaneously moved relative to the distal first end portion of the first tube along a predetermined path to form a predetermined shape.

A device for measuring a mechanical property of a tissue includes a probe configured to perturb the tissue with movement relative to a surface of the tissue, an actuator coupled to the probe to move the probe, a detector configured to measure a response of the tissue to the perturbation, and a controller coupled to the actuator and the detector. The controller drives the actuator using a stochastic sequence and determines the mechanical property of the tissue using the measured response received from the detector. The probe can be coupled to the tissue surface. The device can include a reference surface configured to contact the tissue surface. The probe may include a set of interchangeable heads, the set including a head for lateral movement of the probe and a head for perpendicular movement of the probe. The perturbation can include extension of the tissue with the probe or sliding the probe across the tissue surface and may also include indentation of the tissue with the probe. In some embodiments, the actuator includes a Lorentz force linear actuator. The mechanical property may be determined using non-linear stochastic system identification. The mechanical property may be indicative of, for example, tissue compliance and tissue elasticity. The device can further include a handle for manual application of the probe to the surface of the tissue and may include an accelerometer detecting an orientation of the probe. The device can be used to test skin tissue of an animal, plant tissue, such as fruit and vegetables, or any other biological tissue.

Various methods and systems are provided for a flexible, lightweight, low-cost radio frequency (RF) coil array of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. In one example, a posterior RF coil assembly for a MRI system includes an RF coil array including a plurality of RF coils and a deformable material housing the plurality of RF coils, each RF coil comprising a loop portion of distributed capacitance wire conductors and a coupling electronics unit coupled to each of the plurality of RF coils.

Patient's cranial position monitoring and controlling device for controlling an MR-guided radiation source module via a MR-guided radiation controlling device to be connected to the patient's cranial position monitoring and controlling device and a MR-guided radiation system comprising a patient's cranial position monitoring and controlling device, which allows for a better MR-imaging while allowing a patient position monitoring close to the patient.

A device for measuring the elastic deformability of soft tissue has a probe head having the form of a cup with a cavity, side walls and a bottom wall, a first probe channel, a pressure unit and a control unit, the first probe channel being configured to connect the pressure unit, that provides a vacuum inside first probe channel and that is controlled by the control unit with the probe head. The first probe channel has a distal end leading through the bottom wall into the cavity. The device further has a second probe channel having a distal end leading through the bottom wall into the cavity and being connected with a pressure sensor provided to determine the pressure in the cavity and to communicate it to the control unit to determine a point in time, when deformed tissue closes the distal end of the first probe channel based on a pressure difference in the two probe channels.

The invention relates to a method, system, and apparatus used in endoscopic medical diagnostic applications and endoscopic medical treatment applications, particularly in applications for imaging and treating lesions occurring in the biological mucosal layer with the thermal ablation (coagulation) method.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a handheld device that can be used to perform a screening or diagnostic test. The handheld device can include a disposable microsampler unit, an analysis unit, a controller unit, and an output unit. The disposable microsampler unit can collect 10 microliters or less of a sample. The analysis unit can include two electrodes that can apply alternating periods of coulometry and potentiometry to the sample to determine a total content of a target chemical in the sample. During the coulometry period, the two electrodes are a working electrode and a counter electrode, and during the potentiometry period the two electrodes are an indicator electrode and a reference electrode. The controller unit can control the sequence of coulometry and potentiometry. The output unit can display the total content of the target chemical in the sample.

An apparatus, method and computer program are provided. The apparatus includes a light source; a light sensor configured to sense light signals emitted by the light source; and an actuator configured to lift a surface of skin tissue in order to create an optical path through the skin tissue from the light source to the light sensor, for transmissive photoplethysmography.

An aspiration device (110) for measuring the viscoelastic deformability of biological tissues and synthetic materials comprises a probe head (11), a probe channel (41), a pressure unit (20), a pressure sensor (31) and a control unit (60). The first probe channel (41) is connecting the pressure unit (20) providing a vacuum with the probe head and includes the pressure sensor (31) detecting the pressure in the first probe channel (41). The first probe channel (41) has a distal end (141) leading with its lower open end (144) through the top wall (14) into the cavity (15) of the probe head. The cavity (15) comprises either an opening (16) in the side or top wall (13, 14) or a second probe channel connected with a valve. A measurement cycle comprises applying under pressure in the first probe channel (41), measuring the under pressure with the pressure sensor (31), detecting a change of under pressure increase over time (301, 401), increasing the under pressure to a predetermined maximum under pressure (303), decreasing the under pressure beyond this point in time and detecting a change of under pressure decrease over time (302, 402).