A method or system for imaging and quantifying placental blood perfusion using magnetic resonance image. The method or system provides a noninvasive means of assessing placental function and oxygenation from T.sub.2* images without the administration of an exogenous contrast agent. The method or system provides quantitative information regarding the number and spatial distribution of perfusion domains which subdivide the placenta into functional units where oxygen transport occurs, along with estimates of fetal oxyhemoglobin concentration, descriptors of placental oxygen reserve, and parameters representing the facility with which oxygen transport from the maternal to fetal vasculature occurs.

A method for image processing medical self-test results receives a digital image of a visual indication of a test result. A digital image is generated of the visual indication of the test result that includes noise and distortions therein. The digital image is processed using generalized curve field transforms to extract relevant features of the digital image in a presence of the noise and distortions to create a transformed image. A diagnosis is generated based upon the transformed image to the plurality of images of the test results.

An apparatus for detecting and notifying occurrence of post-partum haemorrhage in female patients is envisaged. Continued tracking of the blood discharged from a female patient's body during labor as well as postnatal operation procedures is provided for, and as soon as the amount of blood discharged from the body of the female patient exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a light-based alarm and sound-based alarm are triggered. The apparatus includes a first connector connected to the female patient when she is on a Labor Recovery Delivery bed, and a second connector woven onto an undergarment to be worn by the female patient. The first connector and second connector are connected to single use, disposable blood collection bags, whose weights are measured using weight sensors for an accurate calculation of the total amount of the blood lost by the female patient during labor operation procedures and postnatal operation procedures.

A healthcare-monitoring system collects health data through sensors then analyzes the data. The system may then instruct the user to retrieve one or more medical devices or tests stored within the system and perform an additional diagnostic measurement or test. Medication may also be stored within the system. The location of a medical device, test, or medication may be tracked in relation to the position of the user and the user's body parts. Correct use of the medical device or test and consumption of the medication may be assessed. A user interface may provide instruction for proper use of a medical device or test as well as its location within the system. Sensors may indicate whether a medical device has been returned to its proper place or if a consumable medical product has been removed from storage. The system may automatically reorder consumable medical supplies and track drug compliance.

A method for an automatic or semi-automatic detection whether an MR examination of a person (12) is approved with a predetermined MR system (10) includes the following steps: Step 1: providing information whether and which contra-indication for such an MR examination is present for this person (12) (S1); Step 2: providing information about a location of a cause (30) of the contra-indication within the person (12) (S2); Step 3: determining a position of this cause (30) during the MR examination of the person with respect to at least one magnetic field coil (14, 16, 18) (S3); Step 4: determining at least one characteristic parameter of the magnetic field generated by the coil (14, 16, 18) at the position of the cause (30) during the MR examination (S4); and Step 5: automatically checking whether the MR examination is approved for the combination of the determined cause (30) of the contra-indication and the determined characteristic parameter of the magnetic field at the location of the cause (30) (S5).

Provided is a diagnostic device for diagnosing a state of a subject based on a ratio or a difference between a color intensity of a first test portion and a color intensity of a second test portion in a reaction unit receiving a sample therein, wherein reaction unit includes a sample pad; a conjugate pad; a reaction membrane; and a wicking pad, and wherein the reaction membrane has two or more test portions.

The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for identifying conditions in a human or animal body, such as pregnancy or ovulation. For example, the present disclosure relates to devices and methods for identifying pregnancy or ovulation, which devices and methods are adapted to mitigate the hook effect, thereby improving accuracy of the devices and methods.

There is described a method of reproducing a movement occurring during a pregnancy, the method comprising: determining movement data relating to movements during pregnancy using a sensor device; transmitting the movement data from the sensor device to an external device; storing the movement data on the external device; and transmitting data relating to one or more movements of the movement data from the external device to an output device that is arranged to reproduce the movements, wherein said transmitting occurs substantially after the storing of the movement data; and reproducing the movements using the output device.

A method for assessment and/or monitoring a person's cardiovascular state comprises: using a sound and vibration transducer to acquire a vascular sound signal in order to detect a vascular sound from a cervical, thoracic, abdominal, pelvic, or lower limb region of the person; filtering the vascular sound signal to isolate the vascular sound, said filtering using a filter which attenuates frequencies below a lower cut-off frequency in a range of 100-300 Hz; and analyzing the filtered sound signal in order to determine whether an indication of a dicrotic notch in the vascular sound exceeds a set threshold.

A method and device for measuring intra-abdominal pressure in a pregnant woman to assess likelihood or occurrence of pre-eclampsia The method includes providing a catheter having first and second lumens and a balloon, inserting the catheter into a bladder of the patient, injecting gas into the first lumen of the catheter to expand the balloon, obtaining a first pressure reading of the bladder based on deformation of the balloon to thereby monitor pressure within an abdomen of the mother to assess if pre-eclampsia is occurring or likely to occur and transmitting the first pressure reading to an external monitor connected to the catheter. The pressure reading is indicative of the presence and/or risk of pre-eclampsia to determine when intervention should occur to prevent morbidity and mortality of the woman and baby.