A method is provided for measuring or estimating stress distributions on heart valve leaflets by obtaining three-dimensional images of the heart valve leaflets, segmenting the heart valve leaflets in the three-dimensional images by capturing locally varying thicknesses of the heart valve leaflets in three-dimensional image data to generate an image-derived patient-specific model of the heart valve leaflets, and applying the image-derived patient-specific model of the heart valve leaflets to a finite element analysis (FEA) algorithm to estimate stresses on the heart valve leaflets. The images of the heart valve leaflets may be obtained using real-time 3D transesophageal echocardiography (rt-3DTEE). Volumetric images of the mitral valve at mid-systole may be analyzed by user-initialized segmentation and 3D deformable modeling with continuous medial representation to obtain, a compact representation of shape. The regional leaflet stress distributions may be predicted in normal and diseased (regurgitant) mitral valves using the techniques of the invention.

New wearable and non-wearable systems for noninvasive glucose, vital sign, and other important body variable or property sensing include an ultrasound generator, an ultrasound detector and a feedback unit, wherein the vital signs include heart rate, oxygenation, temperature, blood pressure, and/or electrocardiogram (ECG) and the other body important variables or properties including fitness index (FI), body weight index (BWI), and/or hydration index (HI), and methods for noninvasive monitoring same.

The invention relates to the field of ophthalmic systems and procedures. In particular, the invention relates to the determination of the post-operative position of an intraocular lens (termed “IOL”) in an eye of a patient undergoing lens replacement surgery, which involves determining the position of the existing crystalline lens in the pre-operative eye of the patient and using that information and a single numerical constant to predict the post-operative intraocular lens position. Related methods, and computer programs for performing the methods of the invention, are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for non-invasive fat reduction can include targeting a region of interest below a surface of skin, which contains fat and delivering ultrasound energy to the region of interest. The ultrasound energy generates a thermal lesion with said ultrasound energy on a fat cell. The lesion can create an opening in the surface of the fat cell, which allows the draining of a fluid out of the fat cell and through the opening. In addition, by applying ultrasound energy to fat cells to increase the temperature to between 43 degrees and 49 degrees, cell apoptosis can be realized, thereby resulting in reduction of fat.

Systems and methods for monitoring properties of the cornea and controlling the crosslinking treatment. The thickness of the cornea during crosslinking may be measured by using ultrasonic reflections to determine an anterior distance (D.sub.1′) between a reference location (37) on a device resting on the eye and an anterior surface (66) of the cornea and to determine a posterior distance (D.sub.3′) between a posterior surface (63) of the cornea and an element of the eye such as an anterior surface (72) of the lens of the eye. These distances are subtracted from a reference distance (D.sub.0) between the reference location and the element of the eye. The reference distance (D.sub.0) may be determined using ultrasonic reflections to determine the corresponding anterior and posterior distances and the thickness (D.sub.2) of the cornea prior to crosslinking. The speed of sound in the cornea during crosslinking may be derived using the thickness (D2′) and time of flight of ultrasound through the cornea. The position of the cornea relative to a reference location may be determined. In still other embodiments, location of a surface of demarcation (86) within the cornea formed as a result of crosslinking may be determined. Still other embodiments provide for determination of one or more resonant frequencies of the cornea, and for measurement of responses of the cornea to applied forces, such as displacement and rebound velocity. The properties of the cornea may be used as proxies for the extent of crosslinking, and a light source (48, 348) used to induce crosslinking may be controlled in response to such proxies.

An ultrasonic device evaluates the sound velocity of a nail to determine the overall health of a patient and to monitor cosmetological effects of certain products on the nail. The ultrasonic device includes a handhold probe having an piezoelectric transducer encased in cover that emits high-frequency ultrasonic impulses directed towards the nail. The nail reflects returning ultrasonic echoes back to the piezoelectric transducer. The returning ultrasonic echoes vibrate the piezoelectric transducer. A processor of a computer converts the vibrations into electrical pulses. The processor evaluates amplitude values of the electrical pulses to determine the parameters of the human nail, including the thickness, density and elasticity. The parameters are displayed on a display and analyzed by a technician to determine the nail condition. The health of the person or the effect of products on the nail can be determined based on the nail parameters.

A thickness measuring device using ultrasonic waves is provided. A cortical bone thickness measuring device includes a plurality of oscillators, a reception waveform storage, an echo waveform synthesizing module, an inner-surface focusing waveform acquiring module, and a thickness calculating module. The plurality of oscillators are arrayed and each of the oscillators is transmittable and receivable of an ultrasonic wave. The echo waveform synthesizing module obtains an echo waveform corresponding to the ultrasonic beams by synthesizing reception waveforms of the respective oscillators stored in the reception waveform storage in advance, while scanning a focusing position of the ultrasonic beams. Concerning the obtained echo waveform, when it is determined that the beams suitably focus on an inner surface of a cortical bone as a result of an evaluation by the inner-surface focusing waveform acquiring module, the thickness calculating module calculates the thickness of the cortical bone based on the echo waveform.

A first interface of a media-adventitia interface and a second interface of a lumen-intima interface are specified on the basis of reflected waveform data in an n-th frame, a first interface of a media-adventitia interface and second interfaces of a lumen-intima interface are specified on the basis of reflected waveform data in an m-th frame, a first interface displacement amount and second interface displacement amounts between the n-th and m-th frames are determined, a reference displacement amount is calculated from the same reflected waveform data by phase difference tracking as the displacement amount of a vascular wall, and evaluation values for evaluating interface specification credibility are calculated from the first interface displacement amount, the second interface displacement amounts, and the reference displacement amount.

A processor identifies a curved structure in three-dimensional medical image data. The processor selects a plane in the three-dimensional medical image data based at least in part on the identified curved structure. The processor defines a curved image slice in the selected plane based at least in part on the identified curved structure. The curved image slice may be defined by drawing a pair of curved lines on opposite sides of the identified curved structure in the selected plane. The distance between the pair of curved lines may define a thickness of the curved image slice. The processor generates a rendered image of the defined curved image slice. The rendered image may be generally perpendicular to the selected plane. The rendered image and/or the selected plane having the pair of curved lines superimposed on opposite sides of the identified curved structure may be presented at a display system.

Disclosed are an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and a recording medium thereof, the image processing apparatus including: a storage configured to store standard information about at least one anatomical entity; and at least one processor configured to detect regions corresponding to a plurality of anatomical entities based on a medical image obtained by scanning an object including the plurality of anatomical entities, to estimate a volume of a first anatomical entity at a predetermined point in time based on object information measured from the detected regions of the anatomical entity and the standard information stored in the storage, and to provide information about condition of the first anatomical entity based on the estimated volume. Thus, it is possible to make a diagnosis more simply and accurately by determining condition information of an anatomical entity at a point in time for the diagnosis based on a randomly taken medical image.