In a method for generating a surrogate marker based on medical image data mapping an image region, the medical image data is detected using a first interface, a first subregion of the image region is selected by segmenting a first structure included in the image region, a first property of the first subregion is extracted, the surrogate marker is determined based on the first property, and the surrogate marker is provided using a second interface.

The invention relates to a photoacoustic ultrasound probe (100), comprising: a catheter (4), an ultrasound sensor (5) arranged at a distal end (40) of the catheter, at least one optical fibre (50) suited to being connected to a laser source, said optical fibre extending into the catheter up to the distal end (40), said probe being characterised in that the catheter has an inclined distal portion (42) and/or a bevelled distal end (40).

Methods for the prevention, or delayed onset or progression of, bone marrow edema or bone marrow lesion, and subchondral treatment to prevent the progression of osteoarthritis of a joint are disclosed. The methods involve treating the subchondral bone, while preserving, as much as possible, the joint's articular and cartilage surface. The methods could be performed before, during, or after an initial arthroscopic surgery to repair the joint. Associated devices and instruments for treatment of the subchondral bone are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein are tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.

Disclosed are methods and systems for ultrashort echo time magnetization transfer (UTE-MT) imaging and signal modeling to quantify the different proton groups, including free water, bound water and macromolecule protons in short T2 tissues such as the menisci, ligaments, tendons and cortical bone. UTE-MT images with a series of MT frequency offsets and MT power are subject to MT modeling to evaluate T1s, T2s, fractions and exchange rates of bound water, free water and macromolecule protons.

A method and system for assessing disc derangement disorders (DDD) in patients comprises an image scanning module, a DDD screening system and a diagnosis and assessment module. The DDD screening system is in communication with the image scanning module via a network. The DDD screening system includes an application server residing on a computer having a processor installed with a disc derangement disorders (DDD) screening application and coupled with a memory unit integrated with a central database. The DDD screening application provides a set of statistical probability data of the at least one image utilizing a normalized measurement of at least one image to a diagnosis and assessment module. The diagnosis and assessment module generates a report that allows the DDD system to evaluate the presence or absence of DDD based on the statistical probabilities.

A method comprising generating a mechanical signal in a mammal, the mechanical signal having a frequency no more than 50,000 Hz, transmitting the mechanical signal through the musculoskeletal system in the mammal, and sensing the mechanical signal from the musculoskeletal system. A method of triggering an internal event comprising generating a mechanical signal internal or external to a mammal, transmitting the signal through the musculoskeletal system of the mammal, detecting the mechanical signal, and triggering an event in response to the mechanical signal. A method of drug delivery comprising generating a mechanical signal internal or external to a mammal, transmitting the signal through the musculoskeletal system of the mammal, detecting the mechanical signal, and delivering the drug in response to the mechanical signal.

A device for assessing the solidity of a material comprising an ancillary tool (2) having an end (2B) in the form of a point or blade, an impactor (4) for striking the ancillary tool (2), a sensor (12) and a processing unit (30). The ancillary tool (2) is placed between a material (8) and the impactor (4) and transmits the impact force generated by the impactor (4) to the material (8). The sensor (12) is capable of measuring a quantity from among the impact force and the deformation of the impactor, and of supplying a measurement signal. The processing unit (30) is suitable for calculating, from the measurement signal, an indicator representative of the solidity of the material (8). The indicator corresponds to the duration of a time window between the first peak (P1) of maximum amplitude of the measurement signal and the second peak of maximum amplitude (P2).

A region extraction unit extracts a bone region and a cartilage region from a three-dimensional image. A projection direction determination unit determines a projection direction of the cartilage region and a projection image generation unit projects the bone region and the cartilage region in the determined projection direction and generates a projection image. A quantification unit calculates a quantitative value of the cartilage region on the projection image.

A monitoring apparatus for a human body includes a node network with at least one motion sensor and at least one acoustic sensor. A processor is coupled to the node network, and receives motion information and acoustic information from the node network. The processor determines from the motion information and the acoustic information a source of acoustic emissions within the human body by analyzing the acoustic information in the time domain to identify an event envelope representing an acoustic event, determining a feature vector related to the event envelope, calculating a distance between the feature vector and each of a set of predetermined event silhouettes, and identifying one of the predetermined event silhouettes for which the distance is a minimum.