An apparatus and method for providing additional information for region of interest. The apparatus includes a region of interest extractor configured to extract regions of interest from a first medical image and at least one second medical image, a region of interest merger configured to merge a region of interest of the at least one second medical image into the first medical image, an additional information determiner configured to determine additional information required for each region of interest, and an additional information provider configured to provide the determined additional information for the each region of interest.

A method for estimating fractional fat content of an object of interest is described. The method comprises obtaining thermoacoustic data of a region of interest containing an object of interest and a reference, and estimating fractional fat content of the object of interest using the thermoacoustic data and at least one parameter of the reference.

A portable two-mode probe intended to be applied against a biological tissue to be examined, the probe comprising: an ultrasonic transducer (34, 63), configured to emit ultrasonic waves into the tissue and to receive ultrasonic waves reflected by the tissue, the transducer extending along a transverse axis; at least two optodes (32, 60, 62a, 62b) placed on either side of the transverse axis, such that the transducer extends between the two optodes; each optode comprising a casing (52, 61), the casing containing: a light emitter (31), configured to emit a light wave toward the tissue; and/or an optical detector (32), configured to detect a light wave scattered by the tissue; the optodes being arranged such that at least one light emitter and at least one optical detector are placed on either side of the transducer;
at least one optical detector having a detection area (53, 63a, 63b) formed from a semiconductor and connected to a circuit board (54).

A mammography device is disclosed. The mammography device includes a container configured to surround the breast and a plurality of optical fibers attached to be directed inward in the container and configured to perform radiation and detection of light. The container has a base member having an opening, a plurality of annular members continuously disposed to come in communication with the opening, and a bottom member disposed inside the annular member spaced the farthest distance from the base member. The annular members and the bottom member are configured to relatively displace the adjacent annular member on the side of the base member or the base member in a communication direction. Some of the plurality of optical fibers is attached to the plurality of annular members.

Electromagnetic energy is deposited into a volume, an acoustic return signal from energy deposited in the volume is measured, and a parametric map that estimates values of at least one parameter as spatially represented in the volume is computed. A reference level of a region of interest is determined, and upper and lower color map limits are specified, with at least one of them being determined in relation to the reference level. The parametric map is then rendered in the palette of a color map by mapping the estimated values of the parametric map onto the color map according to the color map limits. Two wavelengths of energy can be applied to the volume, and the parametric map computation can be adapted by applying an implicit or explicit model of, or theoretical basis for, distribution of electromagnetic energy fluence within the volume pertaining to the two wavelengths. The actual electromagnetic energy fluence caused by each wavelength has a propensity, due to variability within the volume, to differ from the modeled or theoretical electromagnetic energy fluence.

A method for bringing an IVUS and an OCT image into register. In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining an IVUS image of an area of a lumen; obtaining an OCT image of the same area of the lumen; determining the same asymmetry in each of the IVUS and OCT images; and overlaying the IVUS and OCT images and rotating them with respect to one another until the asymmetry in each of the IVUS and OCT images are in register, and determining the angle of rotation that resulted in the registration. In another aspect, the invention relates to a probe for OCT and IVUS imaging. In one embodiment, the probe includes a sheath having a first end and a second end defining a lumen; a marker that is opaque to light and ultrasound located between the first end and second end; and an IVUS/OCT probe head positioned within the sheath.

Intraluminal medical devices, systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, an intraluminal medical system includes a handheld interface device in communication with an intraluminal device to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient. The intraluminal device includes a sensor configured to obtain physiology data associated with the body lumen. The handheld interface device includes a housing sized and shaped for handheld use, a controller core disposed within the housing and configured to control a plurality of sensor types respectively associated with a plurality of intraluminal devices, a computing core disposed within the housing, and a first display integrated in the housing. The controller core is operable to identify the sensor of the intraluminal device, and control the sensor to obtain the physiology data associated with the body lumen. The computing core is operable to process the physiology data using instructions associated with the identified sensor, wherein the computing core is further operable to process physiology data associated with the plurality of sensor types respectively using a plurality of modality specific instructions; and generate a graphical representation based on the physiology data. The first display is operable to display the graphical representation based on the physiology data.

A technique is disclosed for helping prevent image quality of a three-dimensional image from becoming poor due to fluctuations in the rotation speed of an imaging core. For this purpose, if data is obtained from the imaging core by moving and rotating the imaging core, a cross-sectional image is generated at each movement position. Then, a direction where a guidewire is present in each of the cross-sectional images is detected. An angular difference between the direction of the detected guidewire and a preset direction is obtained so as to rotate each of the cross-sectional images in accordance with the angular difference. Then, the cross-sectional images which are previously rotated in this way are connected to one another, thereby generating the three-dimensional image.

An imaging system for imaging an object, the imaging system comprising: a housing having a center opening; a CT imaging unit mounted to the housing, the CT imaging unit comprising: a rotatable disc extending around the center opening; an X-ray emitter mounted to the rotatable disc and configured to emit an X-ray beam; and an X-ray detector mounted to the rotatable disc in alignment with the X-ray beam; and a digital radiography imager comprising a detector plate mounted to the rotatable disc, the detector plate being configured to assume (i) a retracted position in which the detector plate is not aligned with the X-ray beam, whereby to permit the X-ray beam to contact the X-ray detector, and (ii) an extended position in which the detector plate is aligned with the X-ray beam, whereby to permit the X-ray beam to contact the detector plate.

A bronchial image generation unit generates a bronchial image and a position information acquisition unit acquires position information of an endoscope in a bronchus. A passage position information acquisition unit acquires passage position information representing a passage position of the endoscope and a passage propriety information acquisition unit acquires passage propriety information representing portions through which the endoscope can be passed and a portion through which the endoscope cannot be passed. A display control unit displays a bronchial image by changing a display state of a portion of the bronchial image through which the endoscope has been passed and a portion of the bronchial image through which the endoscope has not been passed using the passage position information, and changing a display state of portions of the bronchial image through which the endoscope can be passed and cannot be passed using the passage propriety information.