A photoacoustic diagnostic apparatus is provided. The photoacoustic diagnostic apparatus includes a movement restriction unit that selectively restricts a location movement of a user input unit that receives an input signal from a user for a light irradiation unit to irradiate light, based on a location of a contact detection unit that detects whether a probe contacts a subject to be imaged.

An intravascular Doppler ultrasonic device comprises a tip region forming a fraction of a catheter body at a distal end thereof and carrying an ultrasound probe. The tip region is bendable in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction. An actuator is provided in the tip region, which is configured to receive actuation drive power provided through the catheter body and to exert to the tip region a bending moment of a controllable amount. An actuation controller is configured to control actuation drive power delivery to the actuator so as to control the amount of the bending moment. A Doppler spectrum analysis unit is configured to receive Doppler spectrum data and to determine from it a Doppler signal quality measure indicative of a signal quality of the Doppler spectrum. The actuation controller is configured to determine the actuation drive power in dependence on the determined Doppler signal quality measure.

Provided are an ultrasound probe, an ultrasound imaging apparatus, an ultrasound imaging system including the ultrasound imaging apparatus, and a method of controlling the ultrasound imaging apparatus. In accordance with one aspect, the ultrasound probe includes a transducer configured to receive an echo ultrasound signal by emitting a plane wave at least three times at different emission angles or at emission angles which are dependent on each other; and a probe controller configured to obtain an ultrasound image by determining a Doppler shift frequency from the received echo ultrasound signal and calculating at least one of a speed of an object and a speed of the object in each of directions on the basis of the determined Doppler shift frequency and either the different emission angles or the dependent emission angles.

A method includes receiving a signal from a first touch screen control in response to invocation of the first touch screen control. The first touch screen control is a control from a first cluster of touch screen controls of a plurality of different clusters of touch screen controls of an ultrasound imaging system touch screen user interface. The method further includes identifying a type of the first touch screen control based on the signal. The method further includes obtaining a control configuration for the touch screen controls based on the type of control. The method further includes constructing a control layout for the touch screen user interface based on the configuration. The method further includes visually rendering the control layout via the touch screen user interface.

A medical system and method for density assessment utilizing ultrasound. The system includes a guidewire configured and dimensioned for insertion in the vessel of the patient, a sensor positioned at the distal portion of the elongated member and a connector connecting the elongated member to an indicator, the sensor determining the density and the indicator providing an indication of the determined density.

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes an ultrasonic probe and processing circuitry. The ultrasonic probe collects reflected wave data in a time series manner from a region of a subject in motion. The processing circuitry generates time-series volume data from the reflected wave data collected by the ultrasonic probe. The processing circuitry calculates at least either of volume information and motion information on a region of interest of the subject by performing processing including tracking using the volume data. The processing circuitry sets one or more feature positions that represent anatomical features in the region of interest. The processing circuitry displays an MPR image that passes through at least one of the feature positions. The processing circuitry outputs at least either of the volume information and the motion information that includes the feature positions as boundaries.

In certain embodiments, a method for communicating with a fetus may include providing, on an electronic device, a user interface configured to facilitate wireless communication of signals between the electronic device and at least one implanted device located in proximity to the fetus; and responsive to a user selecting a communication selection element, causing the wireless communication of signals inclusive of content data between the electronic device and implanted device.

An ultrasound imaging system (102) includes a touch screen user interface (122) and a touch screen controller (148). The touch screen user interface includes a touch panel (124). The touch panel includes a plurality of different clusters (510-522) of controls including a first cluster (512) in first sub-region and with a tactile control and one or more other cluster (510 and 514-522) in one or more other different sub-regions and with soft controls. The touch screen controller visually renders the one or more other clusters in the one or more different sub-regions spatially arranged with respect to each other based on a predetermined control cluster configuration for the touch screen user interface. The one or more other clusters include controls that correspond to different groupings of ultrasound imaging operations of the ultrasound imaging system.

An ultrasound probe is provided for multi-faceted exams, such as for triage and emergency. The probe can include different transducer arrays, such as a linear, a curved linear, and a sector array that are combined into a single hand held unit with a wireless display. Related methods are provided, such as a method for automatically selecting the appropriate array for the user to scan with based on the intended exam and/or location of the probe on the body of a patient.

The present invention is in the field of an improved device for assisting entry of a needle into a vein or a shunt using ultra-sound, also referred to as a vascoscope, a kit of parts comprising said vascoscope, and a method of entering a needle in a vein or shunt, comprising use of said vascoscope. The present vascoscope is especially suited for use in dialysis and is aimed at preventing damage such as in repetitive use applications.