Systems and Methods for determining a position of an object introduced into a body. An RF pilot tone is generated and is radiated into the body. Response signals modulated by the radiating into the body are received by a plurality of MRI receiver coils arranged spatially distributed outside the body and are converted into respective measurement signals. From the measurement signals, the position of the object is determined.

A method is described for planning intracorporeal positioning of a puncture needle to be introduced percutaneously into a patient on the basis of a puncture plan, said method comprising the following steps: a) arranging a needle guide means in a spatially fixed manner on the patient; b) generating and storing a series of cross-sectional images, each containing spatially resolved image information of the patient and of the needle guide means attached in a spatially fixed manner to the patient in a first coordinate system, using an imaging diagnostic method; c) selecting and visually displaying at least one cross-sectional image or a numerically generated cross-sectional image from the series of stored cross-sectional images; d) superimposing a virtual, positionally variable linear trajectory on the basis of the selected cross-sectional image; e) positioning the virtual linear trajectory on the basis of the puncture plan to obtain a target linear trajectory, in which the virtual linear trajectory traverses the needle guide means; f) numerically determining spatial coordinates of two separate spatial points, or traverse points, within the first coordinate system, at which traverse points the target linear trajectory traverses the needle guide means; g) transforming the spatial coordinates relating to the needle guide means and to the traverse points to a second coordinate system; and h) visually displaying the needle guide means within the second coordinate system in such a manner that the traverse points are shown visibly marked on the needle guide means.

Artifacts caused by metallic needles used in MRI-guided procedures such as tumor biopsies significantly decrease the visibility of therapy targets and diminish the ability of the physician to accurately monitor and perform the procedure. As described in the present application, a needle including active shimming can self-compensate for these artifacts and significantly improve the visualization and monitoring of targeted tissue. The accuracy and overall outcomes of MRI-guided treatments can be significantly improved with the use of the needle.

A system for guiding a medical intervention is disclosed. The system employs a device guide that operates on the surface of a sphere that is centered on a selected target.

Devices, systems, and methods for visually depicting a vessel and evaluating a physiological condition of the vessel are disclosed. One embodiment includes obtaining, at a first time, a first image of the vessel, the image being in a first medical modality, and obtaining, at a second time subsequent to the first time, a second image of the vessel, the image being in the first medical modality. The method also includes spatially co-registering the first and second images and outputting a visual representation of the co-registered first and second images on a display. Further, the method includes determining a physiological difference between the vessel at the first time and the vessel at the second time based on the co-registered first and second images, and evaluating the physiological condition of the vessel of the patient based on the determined physiological difference.

The disclosure relates to medical devices and methods of assembling medical devices, such as MRI-compatible interventional wireguides. An example of a wireguide includes a series of individual segments, a plurality of connectors, and a plurality of spacers. Each segment in the series of individual segments has a first end and a second end. Each connector of the plurality of connectors joins adjacent segments in the series of individual segments to one another such that a first end of a first segment and a second end of a second segment in the series of individual segments are attached to a connector of the plurality of connectors. A spacer of the plurality of spacers is disposed between each pair of adjacent segments in the series of individual segments. Each of the segments in the series of individual segments is electrically insulated from an adjacent segment in the series of individual segments.

Provided are a navigation device and a navigation method capable of reducing the size and the cost of an endoscope, and an endoscope system including the navigation device. The navigation device includes a magnetic field generation control unit that causes magnetic fields to be generated at different timings from a plurality of magnetic field generation units that generate the magnetic fields at mutually different positions; an image signal acquisition unit that acquires, from the endoscope, an added image signal obtained by adding specification information for specifying the magnetic field generation units generating the magnetic fields and magnetic field detection results of the respective magnetic field detection units to an image signal output from an imaging element; and a position detection unit that detects positions of the respective magnetic field detection units on the basis of the specification information and the magnetic field detection results that are added to the added image signal acquired by the image signal acquisition unit.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided surgical system is provided that includes one or more surgical tools having components configured to develop reactive effects when exposed to MR signals generated by the MRI system. The system includes a control system that can determine whether the MR system is generating MR signals, and if the control system determines that the MR system is generating MR signals, mitigates the reactive effects of MR signals on components of the surgical tools. The system can include a cryoablation system with a cryoprobe having a probe shaft being made of a metallic material. If the control system determines that the MR system is generating MR signals, the control system can electrically disconnect the cryoprobe and/or ignore electrical signals generated by the electric heater in response to exposure to MR signals, and/or initiate a cooling operation of the probe shaft, whereby the cooling operation.

Disclosed is a method to remove distortion from a navigation system. The navigation system may be used to perform a procedure on a subject. The procedure may be any appropriate procedure. The navigation system may be used to account for the distortive effects of various conductive objects positioned near the subject on which the procedure is performed.

Reference data relating to a portion of a patient anatomy during patient motion can be acquired from a magnetic resonance imaging system (MRI) to develop a patient motion library. During a time of interest, tracking data is acquired that can be related to the reference data. Partial volumetric data is acquired during the time of interest and at approximately the same time as the acquisition of the tracking data. A volumetric image of patient anatomy that represents a particular motion state can be constructed from the acquired partial volumetric data and acquired tracking data.