Aspects of stone identification methods and systems are described. According to one aspect, an exemplary method comprises: transmitting to a processing unit, with an imaging element mounted on a distal end of a scope, image data about a stone object inside a body cavity; generating from the image data, with the processing unit, a visual representation of the stone object and the body cavity; establishing from a user input, with the processing unit, a scale for the visual representation; determining from the visual representation, with the processing unit, a size of the stone object on the scale; comparing, with the processing unit, the size of the stone object with a predetermined maximum size to determine a removal status; and augmenting, with the processing unit, the visual representation to include an indicator responsive to the removal status. Associated systems are also described.

The invention related to a method and a device for displaying an object, in particular biological tissue. Said method having the following steps: a) generating a first image of at least one sub-region of the object using a first device; b) generating a second image of at least one sub-region of the object using a second device; c) ascertaining first coordinates of at least some image points of the second image in a first coordinate system; d) ascertaining second coordinates of the image points of the second image by projecting the first coordinates in a second coordinate system which is different from the first coordinate system and which is assigned to the first device; and e) generating a combined image of the object from the first and the second image using the ascertained second coordinates of the image points of the second image.

Systems, devices, and methods are provided to provide workflow assistance to an operator during a medical imaging procedure, such as a Doppler ultrasound evaluation of a body vessel of a subject. A sensor such as a gyroscope (128) may be integrated in an external ultrasound probe (102). Workflow assistance may be provided to position the ultrasound probe (102) to make accurate flow measurements of fluid within the vessel, such as by coupling system color flow information with gyroscope angles. The workflow assistance may also assist a user in identifying a perpendicular orientation of the ultrasound to be used as a reference in making Doppler measurements. The system may also be used to create a vessel map.

A registration device includes an attachment piece (106) configured to conform with and attach to an imaging probe (102), in particular an internal or external ultrasound probe such as a TEE probe. A pathway (105) formed in or on the attachment piece is configured to receive an optical shape sensing device (OSS fiber) such that the optical shape sensing device can free float (no tip fixation) to permit longitudinal twisting within the pathway. The pathway includes a distinctive geometry for shaping the OSS device such that the distinctive geometry provides a template pattern (107) within an image collected using the imaging probe module to permit registration between imaging coordinates and OSS coordinates. A registration module (130) is configured to compare a stored shape template (121) with an image (134) including the template pattern to permit the registration (unique transformation).

An ultrasound probe for percutaneous insertion into an incision and related methods are disclosed herein, e.g., for imaging neural structures at a surgical site of a patient. An exemplary ultrasound probe can be a portable ultrasound probe configured to be passed percutaneously into an incision and can have an imaging region extending distally from a distal tip of the probe. In one embodiment the ultrasound probe can be a navigated portable ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe can be connected to a computing station and configured to transmit images to the computing station for processing. In another embodiment, an ultrasound probe can be part of a network of sensors, including at least one external sensor, where the network of sensors is configured to transmit images to the computing station for processing. The computing station can process and display images to visualize and/or highlight neurological structures in an imaged region.

A method for real-time correction of tissue compression for tracked ultrasound includes acquiring an ultrasound image of tissues of interest with an ultrasound probe having a probe surface, where the ultrasound probe is tracked to provide a position and an orientation of the probe surface of the ultrasound probe for the acquired ultrasound image; acquiring intraoperative measurements of the undeformed tissue surface; constructing a generic grid representation of tissues for use with a mathematical model of tissue biomechanics, where the generic grid representation is pre-aligned to the acquired ultrasound image by performing a calibration to the ultrasound probe; determining boundary conditions to the mathematical model represented by the generic grid representation; solving the mathematical model for 3D displacements in the generic grid representation of the tissues; and performing correction of tissue compression by using the reversed and interpolated 3D displacement field on the acquired ultrasound image.

An automated three dimensional mapping and display system for a diagnostic ultrasound system is presented. According to the invention, ultrasound probe position registration is automated, the position of each pixel in the ultrasound image in reference to selected anatomical references is calculated, and specified information is stored on command. The system, during real time ultrasound scanning, enables the ultrasound probe position and orientation to be continuously displayed over a body or body part diagram, thereby facilitating scanning and images interpretation of stored information. The system can then record single or multiple ultrasound free hand two-dimensional (also “2D”) frames in a video sequence (clip) or cine loop wherein multiple 2D frames of one or more video sequences corresponding to a scanned volume can be reconstructed in three-dimensional (also “3D”) volume images corresponding to the scanned region, using known 3D reconstruction algorithms. In later examinations, the exact location and position of the transducer can be recreated along three dimensional or two dimensional axis points enabling known targets to be viewed from an exact, known position.

The present invention provides an ultrasound system, which comprises: a signal acquiring unit to transmit an ultrasound signal to an object and acquire an echo signal reflected from the object; a signal processing unit to control TGC (Time Gain Compensation) and LGC (Lateral Gain Compensation) of the echo signal; a TGC/LGC setup unit adapted to set TGC and LGC values based on TGC and LGC curves inputted by a user; and an image producing unit adapted to produce an ultrasound image of the object based on the echo signal. The signal processing unit is further adapted to control the TGC and the LGC of the echo signal based on the TGC and LGC values set by the TGC/LGC setup unit.

According to an aspect, there is provided a method of determining a position and/or orientation of a hand-held device with respect to a subject. The hand-held device is for use on a body of the subject. The method comprises receiving (101) images from an imaging unit arranged in or on the hand-held device; receiving (103) a displacement signal from a displacement sensor that is arranged in or on the hand-held device to measure displacement of the hand-held device along the body when the hand-held device is in contact with the body; processing (105) the received images to determine whether a body part of the subject can be identified in the received images; determining (107) whether the hand-held device is in contact with the body; determining (109) a mode of operation to use to determine a position and/or orientation of the hand-held device based on whether a body part can be identified and whether the hand-held device is in contact with the body; wherein the mode of operation to use is determined as (i) a first mode when a body part can be identified, (ii) a second mode when a body part cannot be identified and the hand-held device is not in contact with the body, and (iii) a third mode when the hand-held device is in contact with the body; and determining (111) the position and/or orientation of the hand-held device with respect to the body of the subject using the received images and/or received displacement signal according to the determined mode of operation.

Method and system for determining the current position of a selected portion of a medical catheter inserted into a tubular organ (118) of the body of a patient, the method comprising the procedures of inserting a medical positioning system (MPS) (102) catheter into the tubular organ (118), acquiring a plurality of mapping positions (120) within the tubular organ (118), displaying a mapping position (120) representation of the mapping positions (120), constructing a mapping path (122) according to the mapping positions (120), inserting the medical catheter into the tubular organ (118) until the selected portion reaches the initial position, displaying an operational image of the tubular organ (118), a path representation of the mapping path (122), and an initial position representation of the initial position superimposed on the operational image, registering the selected portion with the initial position, measuring a traveled length of the medical catheter within the tubular organ (118) from the initial position, and estimating the current position.