An apparatus for determining a position of an object inside a body includes a first, detector configured to receive a signal from the object inside the body. The apparatus also includes a camera configured to capture an image or video of outside of a portion of the body, The object is positioned inside the portion of the body. A computing system is configured to receive the signal from the first detector and the image or video from the camera and to determine the position of the object Inside the body. A screen, is configured to display die position of the object inside the body.

In some embodiments, a body cavity shape of a subject is reconstructed based on intrabody measurements of voltages by an intrabody probe (for example, a catheter probe) moving within a plurality of differently-oriented electromagnetic fields crossing the body cavity. In some embodiments, the method uses distances between electrodes as a spatially calibrated ruler. Positions of measurements made with the intrabody probe in different positions are optionally related by using spatial coherence of the measured electromagnetic fields as a constraint. Optionally, reconstruction is performed without using a detailed reference (image or simulation) describing the body cavity shape. Optionally, reconstruction uses further information to refine and/or constrain the reconstruction; for example: images, simulations, additional electromagnetic fields, and/or measurements characteristic of body cavity landmarks. Optionally, reconstruction accounts for time-dependent cavity shape changes, for example, phasic changes (e.g., heartbeat and/or respiration), and/or changes in states such as subject hydration, edema, and/or heart rate.

Described here are systems and methods for four-dimensional manometry, which can include generating and displaying rendering data that simultaneously depict spacetime variations in impedance, pressure, and esophageal luminal morphology. From these data, bolus tracking and esophageal opening and velocity data can be measured and visualized without the need for additional imaging, thereby reducing a subject's exposure to otherwise necessary ionizing radiation.

A mucosal impedance measuring device measures a pressure-controlled impedance of mucosal tissue. The device includes an endoscope having an elongated body extending to a scope end in which the scope end is articulable relative to the elongated body and a plurality of impedance measuring electrodes supported by the endoscope proximate the scope end. Upon articulation of the scope end, the plurality of impedance measuring electrodes are moved relative to the elongated body to be drawn into contact with mucosal tissue under an applied pressure to collect pressure-regulated impedance of the tissue. In some forms, an impedance measuring system can be in electrical communication with the electrodes and may include software that determines whether the pressure-controlled impedance of the mucosa that is measured is a stable impedance measurement indicative of consistent pressure-regulated contact between the impedance measuring electrodes and the mucosa. Still further, such device may be used to map and provide a visual indication of the colon or other portion of the gastrointestinal tract and visually provide impedance measurements associate with one or more regions of the gastrointestinal tract.

There is provided herein a guidance system for positioning an insertion device comprising: an electromagnetic field generator configured to generate an electromagnetic field covering a treatment area, an insertion device comprising an electromagnetic sensor, the electromagnetic sensor configured to receive signals indicative of the electromagnetic field, and a processing circuitry configured to: load an X-ray, CT, ultrasound or MRI image of the subject's chest, mark a location of a first and a second anatomic landmarks on the subject's torso using a registration sensor and obtaining a subject coordinate system based thereon, identify the location of the first and the second anatomic landmarks on the loaded X-ray, CT, ultrasound or MRI image of the subject's chest; aligning the subject coordinate system with the loaded X-ray, CT, ultrasound or MRI image, and display, on the image, a path of the insertion device insertion with respect to the first and the second anatomic locations; wherein the path is generated according to changes in the strength of the electromagnetic field sensed by the tip sensor's during the insertion of the insertion device.

There is provided herein a system and a method for an insertion device positioning guidance system comprising: an electromagnetic field generator configured to generate an electromagnetic field covering a treatment area; a reference sensor configured to be positioned, within the treatment area, on the subject's torso, the reference sensor is configured to define a reference coordinate system representing the position and orientation of the subject's torso relative to the field generator; a registration sensor configured to mark at least a first and a second anatomic locations relative to the reference coordinate system; and a processor configured to operate the field generator, read signals obtained from the reference sensor and the registration sensor, calculate a position and orientation thereof relative to the field generator, generate a 3D anatomic map representing the torso of the subject and the first and second anatomic locations, the processor is further configured to facilitate visualization on the 3D anatomic map of a position, orientation and/or path of a tip sensor, located in a distal tip section of the insertion device, with respect to the first and second anatomic locations, independent of the subject's movement and independent of deviations in the position and/or orientation of the field generator, thus determination of a successful medical procedure is facilitated.

An elongated device and a system that at the same time allow acquisition of temperature-related data of high spatial and temporal resolution from hollow structures together with other relevant data of physical or chemical variables. In a preferred embodiment infrared or visible light sensors are used to obtain thermal or color images from the inner surface during imposed change of the temperature in the lumen of the hollow structure. The disclosure makes it possible to evaluate thermal variations when the inner surface returns to pre-change thermal conditions. High-resolution data can be obtained with the disclosure. The disclosure further includes a system with rotators, injection pumps, a control unit and display operably coupled to one or more of the data acquisition and processing system.

Disclosed is an NGT system, the system comprises a nasogastric tube having a diameter and length configured to pass through an esophagus such that the lumen of the NGT maintains fluid communication with a portion of the digestive tract, and a digestive tract sensor operatively associated with the NGT, the digestive tract sensor configured to sense from inside the body and transmit signals in response to one or both of conditions relating to nourishment states of the digestive tract, and positioning of the NGT.

The present disclosure relates to a method for automatic evaluation of a filling volume of an oesophageal balloon catheter (26) inserted into a mechanically ventilated patient (3). The method comprises obtaining (S3-S4) samples of an airway pressure, P.sub.aw, and an oesophageal pressure, P.sub.es, of the patient during an occlusion period in which respiration of the patient is prevented, evaluating (S5) the filling volume of the oesophageal balloon catheter by determining a ratio, ΔP.sub.es/ΔP.sub.aw, between P.sub.es and P.sub.aw from a regression analysis of the P.sub.es and P.sub.aw samples, and communicating (S6) a result of the evaluation to a user.

A nasogastric probe comprises at least one substantially flexible tubular element of elongated shape, provided with at least one main channel communicating with at least one feeding mouth of nutritive substances or the like, which is arranged at a first end stretch of the tubular element itself, and with at least one delivery mouth of nutritive substances or the like, which is arranged at a second end stretch opposed to the first end stretch and intended to be inserted into the patient's stomach passing through the esophagus; and it comprises pressure detecting means inside the esophagus comprising at least one pressure sensor associated with the tubular element and interposed between the feeding mouth and the delivery mouth.