Methods and apparatus for the application of reinforcement learning to animal medical diagnostics. In one embodiment, a system is disclosed that utilizes two (2) RL agents that are arranged sequentially and that are optimized independently from one another. The first RL agent is an assessment RL agent which takes as input from one or more of: outputs from classification artificial intelligence (AI) engines; outputs from subjective biological data storage devices, and outputs from objective biological data storage devices. Using these input(s), the assessment RL agent outputs a set of assessments which evaluate a set of conditions associated with an animal. This set of assessments is then provided as input to a second RL agent known-as a plan RL agent which determines a set of treatment recommendations and diagnostics based off this determined set of assessments. Methods and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein is a method, comprising: introducing a tracer into a body region of an organism at an introduction site of the organism; causing emission of characteristic X-rays of the tracer in the body region; capturing images of the tracer in the body region with the characteristic X-rays; determining a first three-dimensional (3D) distribution of the tracer in the body region based on the images; and examining the first 3D distribution of the tracer in the body region to identify a sentinel lymph node for the introduction site. If the sentinel lymph node is not identified in the first 3D distribution, the method further comprises repeating said causing, said capturing, and said determining thereby resulting in a second 3D distribution of the tracer in the body region; and examining the second 3D distribution to identify the sentinel lymph node.

The present disclosure relates to determining a biological tissue structural marker for diagnosis of a disease using a biological tissue characterization technique. A method for determining a structural marker for a diagnosis of a disease can include measuring a first molecular structure of a biological tissue of a first population of animals, after a carcinogenic or pathogenic substance was introduced into the first population. A second molecular structure of the biological tissue of a second population of animals can be measured, wherein the second population did not receive the carcinogenic or pathogenic substance. A first and a second structural marker of the molecular structures of the biological tissue of the first and second populations, respectively, can be identified and compared to determine that the first structural marker is indicative that the biological tissue of the first population of animals was affected by the disease.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for preclinical ultrasound imaging of subjects are provided. In one aspect, the apparatus can include a platform on which a subject is positionable and at least one motion stage for controlling a spatial position of at least one ultrasound transducer relative to the platform in order to acquire ultrasound image data of the subject. Methods for preclinical ultrasound raster scanning of at least one organ or tissue in a subject are also provided, where the at least one organ or tissue is a heart.

A system for use in positioning and restraining an equine hoof during imaging, with at least one panic-releasable connection. The system may comprise an equine boot and an interface plate attached to the underside thereof, a receiver plate attached to a limb placement region of an imaging apparatus, and a placement plate attached to the receiver plate. Further disclosed is use of one or more components apart from the whole system, and methods of use for positioning and restraining an equine hoof during imaging.

Apparatus for x-ray CT scanning of an object comprises an x-ray generator (1) mounted on a first support (3) on an outer ring (4) and an x-ray detector (2) mounted on a second support (10) on an inner ring (11), and a drive mechanism arranged to rotate the outer and inner rings (4, 11). The outer and inner rings have a first common axis of rotation and the diameter of the outer ring (4) is greater than the diameter of the inner ring (11). The first and second supports (3, 10) are positioned diametrically opposite each other with the second support (10) on the far side of the inner ring (11) with respect to the position of the outer ring (4). The inner surface of the outer ring (4) and the outer surface of the inner ring (11) are formed with teeth, and the drive mechanism includes a gearing arrangement connecting the outer and inner rings (4, 11). The gearing arrangement comprises first and second toothed rotary gears (14, 16) fixed so as to rotate together about a second common axis of rotation, the first rotary gear (14) having a greater diameter than the second rotary gear (16). The first rotary gear (14) interengages with the teeth of the outer ring (4) and the second rotary gear (16) interengages with the teeth of the inner ring (11) via a third toothed rotary gear or a toothed drive belt (18). The ratio of the number of teeth on the outer and inner rings (4, 11) are the same as the ratio of the number of teeth on the first and second rotary gears (14, 16) so that the outer and inner rings (4, 11) rotate at substantially the same angular speed in the same direction, whereby x-ray radiation emitted by the x-ray generator (1) is directed towards the x-ray detector (2) whilst the first and second supports (3, 10), on which the x-ray generator (1) and x-ray detector (2) are respectively mounted, are moving along respective first and second annular concentric paths defined by the outer and inner rings (4, 11).

An optical imaging system to image a target object includes a light source configured to emit one or more light rays to illuminate the target object and an image detector configured to capture a three-dimensional topography image of the target object when emitted light is emitted from the target object in response to being illuminated by the light rays emitted by the light source. A fluorescence image detector captures a fluorescence image of the target object when fluorescence is emitted from the target object in response illumination by light rays emitted by the light source. A controller instructs the image detector to capture the 3D topography image and the fluorescence image detector to detect the fluorescence image of the target object intraoperatively and to co-register and simultaneously display intraoperatively the co-registered topography and fluorescence information to the user via a display.

A detector module system for positron emission tomography including a plurality of gamma ray detector modules. Each pair of one detector module and one interconnection element includes mutually engaging locking means for releasably connecting the detector module to the interconnection element. Further each interconnection element includes locking means for releasably connecting at least two detector modules to said interconnection element. Further each of said gamma ray detector modules includes a sensor adapted to detect gamma radiation occurring from short-lived radionuclides radiating from a body and to generate a radiation output corresponding to the detected gamma radiation, and the detector module system comprises a processing circuitry adapted to receive said radiation output from each of the gamma ray detector modules and to generate a resulting radiation representation for the positron emission tomography event, based on the received radiation output. Also, a medical apparatus for positron emission tomography.

A method of generating images of a specimen that includes triggering a source of electromagnetic radiation to emit a beam of electromagnetic radiation along an axis through a tissue specimen and towards an imaging detector, generating at least one image with the received beam at the imaging detector, and superimposing, into or adjacent the at least one image by a system controller, a set of graphical indications that convey portions of a patient's body from which respective portions of the specimen were assumed to have been excised.

The invention relates to a computer tomography apparatus for examining a body part of a large animal, comprising a computer tomography (CT) device and a platform on which the CT device is mounted. The CT device has an annular gantry and a CT table to accommodate a body part of a large animal to be examined. The gantry is immovable relative to the platform. Relative to the platform and to the gantry the CT table is horizontally movably connected to the gantry and/or the platform in such a way that the CT table can be moved into a central opening in the annular gantry. The computer tomography apparatus further comprises a positioning device which is connected to the platform and is designed to position the platform having the mounted CT device relative to a supporting surface for a large animal. The positioning device is designed to position the platform having the mounted CT device in an operational state in such a way that during a relative movement with respect to the gantry the CT table remains stationary relative to the supporting surface.