A surgical instrument navigation system is provided that visually simulates a virtual volumetric scene of a body cavity of a patient from a point of view of a surgical instrument residing in the cavity of the patient. The surgical instrument navigation system includes: a surgical instrument; an imaging device which is operable to capture scan data representative of an internal region of interest within a given patient; a tracking subsystem that employs electro-magnetic sensing to capture in real-time position data indicative of the position of the surgical instrument; a data processor which is operable to render a volumetric, perspective image of the internal region of interest from a point of view of the surgical instrument; and a display which is operable to display the volumetric perspective image of the patient.

A device and methods for the non-invasive manipulation and detection of target objects such as cells, pathogens, microparticles, and nanoparticles in vivo using an external magnetic field are described. In one aspect, a device and method for capturing and detecting intrinsically magnetic target objects or target objects labeled with at least one magnetic particle within the area of interest using an in vivo flow cytometer are described.

Total Immersion Photography (TIP) is disclosed, preferably for the use of screening for various medical and cosmetic conditions. TIP, in a preferred embodiment, comprises an enclosed structure that may be sized in accordance with an entire person, or individual body parts. Disposed therein are a plurality of imaging means which may gather a variety of information, e.g., chemical, light, temperature, etc. In a preferred embodiment, a computer and plurality of USB hubs are used to remotely operate and control digital cameras. The photo information is then transferred via the USB to the computer for processing and aggregation. Subject information is gathered to configure the operation of the various parameters of the device.

An embodiment relates to a method of evaluating a lymphatic system function including: selecting one or a plurality of lymphatic routes to be evaluated from a plurality of lymphatic routes existing in four limbs; determining an injection site of a visualization agent based on information on the selected lymphatic route and injection sites of peripheries of the four limbs corresponding to the selected lymphatic route; injecting the visualization agent from the selected injection site; and visualizing the injected visualization agent and evaluating functions of the one or plurality of lymphatic routes to be evaluated.

In certain aspects, the invention relates to processes for using renally excretable optical agents to detect one or more tissues of the renal system of a surgical patient. In certain aspects, the invention relates to a kit including a biocompatible composition containing one or more optical agents and instructions for using the optical agent(s) in a process of the present invention.

In certain aspects, the invention relates to processes for using renally excretable optical agents to detect one or more tissues of the renal system of a surgical patient. In certain aspects, the invention relates to a kit including a biocompatible composition containing one or more optical agents and instructions for using the optical agent(s) in a process of the present invention.

Systems and methods for endoscopic procedures employ a first technique to ensure initial correct alignment of an endoscope (100) with a desired target (10). A reference image (51) is then acquired from an imaging arrangement associated with the endoscope. During a subsequent stage of the procedure, tracking of the endoscope position relative to the target is performed partially or entirely by image-based tracking by comparing features in real-time video image (52) produced by imaging arrangement with features in the reference image (51). The feature comparison may be performed visually by a user, or may be automated to offer more specific corrective suggestions to the user.

Systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for assessing a fluid system of a patient. A fluid evacuator applies compression to a cuff on a limb of the patient, and measures a pressure of the cuff during the compression to obtain a pressure response curve. The pressure response curve can be analyzed to identify an incompressible region, where the incompressible region is a portion of the pressure response curve indicative of a bodily fluid having been substantially evacuated from at least a portion of the limb as a result of the compression. Using information about the incompressible region of the pressure response curve, the system can at least one of (i) screen for one or more problems with the fluid system or (ii) evaluate an efficacy of the fluid evacuator in evacuating the bodily fluid from the limb of the patient

Biointerface membranes are provided which can be utilized with implantable devices, such as devices for the detection of analyte concentrations in a biological sample. More particularly, methods for monitoring glucose levels in a biological fluid sample using an implantable analyte detection device incorporating such membranes are provided.

Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI data and dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI data for a volume of the patient's body including a tumor are used in order to identify the risk of lymph node metastasis. A volume of interest enclosing the tumor is identified and the MRI data for the volume of interest is processed in order to identify one or more parameters relating to the transverse relaxation rate and/or to dynamic changes in the transverse relaxation rate. A comparison is made to previously obtained similar parameters for other patients having similar tumors that are either known to exhibit lymph node metastasis or are known not to exhibit lymph node metastasis in order to determine if the MRI data indicates that the patient has a tumor at greater risk of exhibiting lymph node metastasis or a tumor with a lesser risk of exhibiting lymph node metastasis.