Medical procedure related objects (e.g., instruments, supplies) tagged with transponders are accounted for in a medical procedure environment via a medical object accounting system using a number of antennas, and optional readers. A first set of antennas is configured to interrogate sterile fields and/or non-sterile fields which do not encompass a body of a patient to account for the objects proximate a start and an end of a medical procedure. Readers (e.g., symbol, RFID) may be employed. A database is maintained with information including a current status of each instrument or supply, for instance as checked in or checked out. On notification of a discrepancy, a handheld antenna and/or second set of antennas interrogate a volume encompassing a body of a patient for retained instruments or supplies. The system is automatically configured (e.g., loading appropriate software) on communicative coupling of a device (e.g., antenna, reader, peripheral device).

A magnetic resonance antenna includes a surface coil and a receive coil. The magnetic resonance antenna includes one or more antenna elements. The magnetic resonance antenna further includes a preamplifier for the antenna element and a coil former for supporting the antenna element. The coil former is formed from a porous material. The antenna is divided into an irradiation zone and at least one reduced radiation zone. The preamplifier for each of multiple antenna elements is located within the at least one reduced radiation zone. The multiple antenna elements are located at least partially within the irradiation zone. The coil former has a perimeter. The irradiation zone extends continuously from a first edge of the perimeter to a second edge of the perimeter. The first edge and the second edge are opposing edges.

A system for determining the alignment measurement of the foot and ankle is disclosed. The system uses data representative of a three dimensional scanned image of a patient's foot and ankle while the patient was applying weight on the foot. Next the system detects the three dimensional coordinates associated with at least three predetermined landmarks on the patent's foot in the scanned image. A ground plane is determined using the predetermined landmarks. A center of a talar dome is determined in the scanned data. An ankle offset lever arm id determined from the set of landmarks and center of the talar dome.

An intra-oral dental radiological image sensor is mechanically reinforced by two front R.sub.A and rear R.sub.B mechanical reinforcing plates each inserted between a respective face of an image capture module and a respective front 20A and rear 20B shell bottom of a casing. The front reinforcing plate is a solid plate, made of material transparent to X rays, covering the photosensitive front face (scintillator) of the module, and harder than the front shell. The rear plate, less thick than the front plate, is harder than the rear shell and comprises an opening O provided to surround, without covering them, components present on the rear face of the module, under a rear shell dome.

An electrode connector adapted for attachment to a biomedical patient electrode by either pinch or snap connection includes a pair of pivotally connected members including a connector body and a jaw pivotally connected to said connector body, with the jaw defining a beveled lower surface that functions to urge the jaw open by engagement of the top surface of an ECG stud thereby allowing the connector to be attached by snap engagement. An electrically conducting plate is disposed at the bottom of the connector to maximize electrical contact with the electrode stud. The jaw member further includes a lip functioning to engage a lower portion of the head of the stud and urge the radially enlarged base of the stud into electrical contact with the bottom surface of said electrically conducting member. An ECG electrode connector in accordance with the present invention may further be fabricated of radiolucent materials.

According to at least one example, an ambulatory medical device is provided. The device includes a plurality of electrodes disposed at spaced apart positions about a patient's body and a control unit. The control unit includes a sensor interface, a memory and a processor. The sensor interface is coupled to the plurality of electrodes and configured to receive a first ECG signal from a first pairing of the plurality of electrodes and to receive a second ECG signal from a second pairing of the plurality of electrodes. The memory stores information indicating a preferred pairing, the preferred pairing being either the first pairing or the second pairing. The processor is coupled to the sensor interface and the memory and is configured to resolve conflicts between interpretations of first ECG signal and the second ECG signal in favor of the preferred pairing.

A catheter has single axis sensors mounted directly along a portion of the catheter whose position/location is of interest. The magnetic based, single axis sensors are on a linear or nonlinear single axis sensor (SAS) assembly. The catheter includes a catheter body and a distal 2D or 3D configuration provided by a support member on which at least one, if not at least three single axis sensors, are mounted serially along a length of the support member. The magnetic-based sensor assembly may include at least one coil member wrapped on the support member, wherein the coil member is connected via a joint region to a respective cable member adapted to transmit a signal providing location information from the coil member to a mapping and localization system. The joint region provides strain relief adaptations to the at least one coil member and the respective cable member from detaching.

A method for measuring the displacements of a vertebral column, a vertebra of the column including a location marker attached thereto and providing a location system with an orientation of the location marker, the method including: a detection of an initial orientation of the location marker associated with a vertebra, a determination of an initial orientation of a vertebral plane parallel to at least one end plate of the vertebra, and a calculation of a geometric transformation associated with the vertebra correlating the initial orientation of the vertebral plane with the initial orientation of the location marker, a detection of the current orientation of the location marker, and a calculation of the current orientation of the vertebral plane of the vertebra from the current orientation of the location marker and the geometrical transformation associated with the vertebra.

A system for measuring the displacements of a vertebral column having a segment comprising at least one vertebra having a body delimited by an upper vertebral end plate and a lower vertebral end plate, and each vertebra in the segment having a location marker associated, attached thereto and providing a location system with an orientation of the location marker, the system including a localizer configured to detect the initial orientations of the location markers, and a microprocessor configured to determine, for each vertebra, an initial orientation of a vertebral plane parallel to at least one end plate of the vertebra, and to determine the current orientation of the vertebral plane of the vertebra from the current orientation of the location marker associated and the geometrical transformation associated with the vertebra.

An electrode connector adapted for attachment to a biomedical patient electrode by either pinch or snap connection includes a pair of pivotally connected members including a connector body and a jaw pivotally connected to said connector body, with the jaw defining a beveled lower surface that functions to urge the jaw open by engagement of the top surface of an ECG stud thereby allowing the connector to be attached by snap engagement. An electrically conducting plate is disposed at the bottom of the connector to maximize electrical contact with the electrode stud. The jaw member further includes a lip functioning to engage a lower portion of the head of the stud and urge the radially enlarged base of the stud into electrical contact with the bottom surface of said electrically conducting member. An ECG electrode connector in accordance with the present invention may further be fabricated of radiolucent materials.