A respiratory monitoring device comprises: a light source (30) arranged to generate a projected shadow (S) of an imaging subject (P) positioned for imaging by an imaging device (8); a video camera (40) arranged to acquire video of the projected shadow; and an electronic processor (42) programmed to extract a position of an edge of the projected shadow as a function of time from the acquired video. In some embodiments, the light source is arranged to project the shadow onto a bore wall (20) of the imaging device, and the video camera is arranged to acquire video of the projected shadow on the bore wall. The electronic processor may be programmed to extract the position of the edge (E) as a one-dimensional function of time (46) based on the position of the edge in each frame of the acquired video and time stamps of the video frames.

A single-impulse panoramic photoacoustic computed tomography (SIP-PACT) system for small-animal whole-body imaging is disclosed. In addition, a dual-speed of sound image universal back-projection reconstruction method is disclosed. Further, a PACT system for imaging a breast of a subject is disclosed.

High-quality magnetic resonance (MR) recordings are triggered with movements of an object, for example the heartbeat. In a method and apparatus for obtaining raw data reconstruction for an MR image, a spin-echo-based sequence is executed that includes applying a static magnetic field and applying a magnetization pulse train. A movement of the object to be imaged is detected and a target contrast for two tissue types of the object is prespecified. The repetition time of the pulse train is set in dependence on the movement of the object to be imaged, and the flip angle is set such that prespecified target contrast for the two tissue types is obtained at the set repetition time.

High-quality magnetic resonance (MR) recordings are triggered with movements of an object, for example the heartbeat. In a method and apparatus for obtaining raw data reconstruction for an MR image, a spin-echo-based sequence is executed that includes applying a static magnetic field and applying a magnetization pulse train. A movement of the object to be imaged is detected and a target contrast for two tissue types of the object is prespecified. The repetition time of the pulse train is set in dependence on the movement of the object to be imaged, and the flip angle is set such that prespecified target contrast for the two tissue types is obtained at the set repetition time.

The valve of an active breathing control (ABC) device can be driven by the output of the navigator channel of the MRI scanner, rather than by inference from a measured breath flow rate. Where the MRI scanner is integrated with a radiotherapy device, the MRI data can be used to trigger the enforced breath-hold by the ABC, and the radiotherapy delivered while the ABC valve is shut. If the MRI data pertains to the actual position of the tumor, then the ABC device will (in effect) hold the tumor at a precise and reproducible point for treatment.

The valve of an active breathing control (ABC) device can be driven by the output of the navigator channel of the MRI scanner, rather than by inference from a measured breath flow rate. Where the MRI scanner is integrated with a radiotherapy device, the MRI data can be used to trigger the enforced breath-hold by the ABC, and the radiotherapy delivered while the ABC valve is shut. If the MRI data pertains to the actual position of the tumor, then the ABC device will (in effect) hold the tumor at a precise and reproducible point for treatment.

A system and method for monitoring respiration of a user, comprising: a respiration sensing module including a sensor configured to detect a set of respiration signals of the user based upon movement resulting from the user's respiration; a supplementary sensing module comprising an accelerometer and configured to detect a set of supplemental signals from the user; an electronics subsystem comprising a power module configured to power the system and a signal processing module configured to condition the set of respiration signals and the set of supplemental signals; a housing configured to facilitate coupling of the respiration sensing module and the supplementary sensing module to the user; and a data link coupled to the electronics subsystem through the housing and configured to transmit data generated from the set of respiration signals and the set of supplemental signals, thereby facilitating monitoring of the user's respiration.

A cable, an associated monitoring system and methods are provided which monitor the continuity of current of electrical components such as sensor signals from sensors used in connection with a medical apparatus. The cable includes a proximal end for coupling with a processing unit and a distal end with or for coupling to sensors. The processing unit generates a continuity signal that travels through the cable via an inductor coil conductor to a distal end inductor coil which imparts the signal to sensor signal conductors of the cable. The continuity signal is carried back to the processing unit with signals from the sensors. Circuitry of the processing unit can detect the returning continuity signals to indicate proper connectivity of the sensor signals. The connection status information of the sensors can be displayed to inform a doctor or other operator of the medical apparatus of sensor signal continuity.

In one embodiment of the invention, a portable device with multiple integrated sensors for vital signs scanning and method of using said device is disclosed. The portable personal scanning device includes multiple sensors such as a plurality of ECG, thermometer, PPG, accelerometer, and microphone for determining a user's vital signs. The method includes concurrently scanning with one or more sensors, validating and enhancing the results of each sensor scan with other concurrent sensor scan and patient interaction models, processing the sensor scans separately or in combination to extract user's vital signs, validating the vital signs extracted by comparison to physiological models, and fusing the similar vital signs extracted from more than one process according to a determination of the measure of quality of the process that produced the vital sign.

In one embodiment of the invention, a portable device with multiple integrated sensors for vital signs scanning and method of using said device is disclosed. The portable personal scanning device includes multiple sensors such as a plurality of ECG, thermometer, PPG, accelerometer, and microphone for determining a user's vital signs. The method includes concurrently scanning with one or more sensors, validating and enhancing the results of each sensor scan with other concurrent sensor scan and patient interaction models, processing the sensor scans separately or in combination to extract user's vital signs, validating the vital signs extracted by comparison to physiological models, and fusing the similar vital signs extracted from more than one process according to a determination of the measure of quality of the process that produced the vital sign.