An automatic method of categorizing the contact force of a catheter tip against a portion of a patient's heart based on motion of the catheter tip, the method comprising (a) capturing a series of 3D-coordinate data points of the catheter tip as a function of discrete times with a 3D medical imaging system, the 3D coordinates corresponding to an orthogonal 3-axis spatial coordinate system, (b) using a programmable computing system, computing a set of measures based on the series of 3D-coordinate data points, (c) categorizing each measure by a respective set of predetermined threshold values; and (d) combining the categorized measures to yield a relative quality of the contact force.

The radiography apparatus includes: an irradiation unit having an irradiation opening through which radiation is emitted; an image receiving unit that has an image receiving surface receiving the radiation emitted from the irradiation unit; an arm that has one end at which the irradiation unit is rotatably supported and the other end at which the image receiving unit is supported in a posture in which the irradiation opening and the image receiving surface face each other; a solenoid that locks the rotation of the irradiation unit with respect to the arm in a facing posture in which the irradiation opening and the image receiving surface face each other; and a control unit that permits the moving image capture irradiation in a state in which the rotation of the irradiation unit is locked and prohibits the moving image capture irradiation in a state in which the rotation is unlocked.

A console of a mobile radiography apparatus includes a CPU that acquires a fluoroscopic image captured by a radiation detector and a visible light image captured by a visible light camera as a moving image related to the capture of the fluoroscopic image of a subject by the mobile radiography apparatus. The CPU extracts a frame to be subjected to a support process, which is a diagnosis support process or an imaging support process, from the moving image. A GPU executes the support process for the extracted frame.

The invention relates to an assessing device (13) for assessing the suitability of a shape of an instrument like a guidewire for a registration of a position and shape determination device (10) like an optical shape sensing device with an imaging device (2). Curvature values being indicative of the curvature at several positions along the instrument are determined, which are used for determining shape feature values. These shape feature values are then used for determining a suitability value being indicative of the suitability of the shape of the instrument for the registration procedure, wherein an output is provided to a user based on the determined suitability value. The user can therefore modify the shape until the output indicates that the shape of the instrument is suitable for the registration, without requiring any image. This can reduce a radiation dose if the image is, for instance, an x-ray image.

Disclosed is an angioplasty balloon catheter and method of use, said angioplasty balloon catheter includes an elongated tip end with physical characteristics nearly identical to a standard angiographic diagnostic catheter. The elongated tip end extends approximately between 2 cm to 75 cm beyond a distal end of a balloon, depending upon embodiments. The tip of the elongated tip end may be angled or straight depending upon embodiments and may or may not have a plurality of side holes in addition to an end hole depending on embodiments. The elongated tip end permits the angioplasty balloon catheter to tract more easily across tortuous or markedly angulated segments of a dialysis graft or fistula, minimizing complications that can result with currently available devices. If angulated, the elongated tip end also enables a user to selectively catheterize an artery without needing a separate diagnostic catheter to do so, and enable tracking and cornering across sharply angulated vessel segments. Whether with an angled or straight distal catheter portion, the angioplasty balloon catheter disclosed herein allows the user to perform angioplasty of an inflow segment of a dialysis graft or fistula and then perform post angioplasty angiographic imaging without the need to exchange the angioplasty balloon catheter for a diagnostic catheter, advance the balloon catheter into the native artery, or perform a blowback angiographic run, thereby improving safety and reducing procedure time.

A method is provided for auto registration for a robotic endoscopic apparatus. The method comprises: (a) generate a first transformation between an orientation of the robotic endoscopic apparatus and an orientation of a location sensor based at least in part on a first set of sensor data collected using the location sensor; (b) generating a second transformation between a coordinate frame of the robotic endoscopic apparatus and a coordinate frame of a model representing an anatomical luminal network based at least in part on the first transformation and a second set of sensor data; and (c) updating, based at least in part on a third set of sensor data, the second transformation using an updating algorithm.

An imaging system is provided comprising an imaging probe and at least one delivery device. The imaging probe comprises an elongate shaft, a rotatable optical core and an optical assembly. The elongate shaft comprises a proximal end, a distal portion, and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal portion. The rotatable optical core is positioned within the lumen of the elongate shaft and comprises a proximal end and a distal end. The rotatable optical core is configured to optically and mechanically connect with an interface unit. The optical assembly is positioned in the elongate shaft distal portion and proximate the rotatable optical core distal end. The optical assembly is configured to direct light to tissue and collect reflected light from the tissue. The imaging probe is constructed and arranged to collect image data from a patient site. The at least one delivery device is constructed and arranged to slidingly engage the imaging probe. Methods of introducing the imaging probe and the at least one delivery catheter into a patient are also provided.

A roll-detecting sensor assembly includes a coil extending along and disposed about an axis. The coil comprises one or more portions, with each portion defining a winding angle. At least one of the portions defines a winding angle that is substantially nonzero relative to a line perpendicular to the axis, whereby the projected area of the coil in an applied magnetic field changes as the coil rotates about the axis. As a result, the coil is configured to produce a signal responsive to the magnetic field indicative of the roll of the sensor about the axis. In an embodiment, at least one of the portions defines a winding angle that is at least 2 degrees. In an embodiment, at least one of the portions defines a winding angle that is about 45 degrees.

Systems are described for conducting minimally invasive medical interventions utilizing instruments and assemblies thereof to stabilize and/or fixate a dysfunctional sacroiliac (SI) joint. The systems include a drill guide having a bone dislodging member adapted to create a pilot SI joint opening in the dysfunctional SI joint through an incision comprising a length no greater than 3.0 cm; portions of the pilot SI joint opening being disposed in the sacrum and ilium bone structures. The drill guide includes a tri-mode fixation system adapted to position and stabilize the drill guide during creation of the pilot SI joint opening in the dysfunctional SI joint and delivery of the SI joint prosthesis therein. The systems also include a SI joint prosthesis configured to be inserted into the pilot SI joint opening of the dysfunctional SI joint, a prosthesis deployment assembly configured to engage the SI joint prosthesis and advance the SI joint prosthesis into the dysfunctional SI joint, and a bone harvesting assembly adapted to extract and collect dislodge bone material from the bone dislodging member after creation of the pilot SI joint opening.

A radiation imaging system includes a radiation source and a notifying unit. The radiation source is for still image shooting and moving image shooting performed by the radiation imaging system to obtain image data of a subject. The notifying unit notifies whether a type of imaging to be performed is the still image shooting or the moving image shooting in a mode in which the type is instinctively recognizable by at least one of sense of sight, sense of hearing, and sense of touch.