Systems, apparatuses, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for mapping a section of a vasculature of a subject are described herein, including moving a probe to a first position adjacent the section of the vasculature; transmitting, by the probe, a first ultra-sound beam into a first portion of the section of the vasculature through the body of the subject; receiving first ultra-sound data including at least one imaging parameter; moving the probe to a second position at the body of the subject adjacent the section of the vasculature and different from the first position; transmitting, by the probe, a second ultrasound beam into a second portion of the section of the vasculature through the body of the subject; receiving second ultrasound data including the at least one imaging parameter; and constructing a map of the section of the vasculature based on the first ultrasound data and the second ultrasound data.

An ultrasonic probe, a method for controlling the same, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus including the same are disclosed. The ultrasonic probe includes a housing; a first contact sensing portion located at one position of an outer surface of the housing, and configured to detect contact; and a second contact sensing portion located at a different position from the first contact sensing portion, and configured to detect contact. A combination of contact sensing results obtained from the first contact sensing portion and the second contact sensing portion is determined such that an operation corresponding to the determined combination of the contact sensing results is carried out.

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of embodiments includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to convert a signal into image information, the signal being generated by an ultrasonic probe receiving reflected waves of ultrasonic waves which have been transmitted from the ultrasonic probe and reflected from a subject, acquire information representing a relative relationship of the ultrasonic probe with respect to the subject, acquire at least one of information representing subject characteristics of the subject and information representing apparatus characteristics of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and generate an operation candidate for the ultrasonic probe on the basis of the acquired information representing the relative relationship of the ultrasonic probe with respect to the subject and the acquired at least one of the information representing the subject characteristics and the information representing the apparatus characteristics.

Apparatus and methods for deactivating bronchial nerves extending along the secondary bronchial branches of a mammalian subject to treat asthma and related conditions. An ultrasonic transducer (11) is inserted into the bronchus as, for example, by advancing the distal end of a catheter (10) bearing the transducer into the secondary bronchial section to be treated. The ultrasonic transducer emits circumferential ultrasound so as to heat tissues throughout circular impact volume (13) as, for example, at least about 1 cm.sup.3 encompassing the bronchus to a temperature sufficient to inactivate nerve conduction but insufficient to cause rapid ablation or necrosis of the tissues. The treatment can be performed without locating or focusing on individual bronchial nerves.

The apparatus and methods utilized for lung tumor ablation.

Embodiments provide an ultrasound treatment system and method. In some embodiments, the system includes a removable transducer module having an ultrasound transducer. In some embodiments, the system can include a hand wand with at least one finger activated controller and a control module that is coupled to the hand wand and has a graphical user interface for controlling the removable transducer module, and an interface coupling the hand wand to the control module. The interface may provide power to the hand wand or may transfer a signal from the hand wand to the control module. In some embodiments, the treatment system may be used in cosmetic procedures on at least a portion of a face, head, neck, and/or other part of a patient.

An ultrasound system is disclosed comprising an ultrasound transducer array (100) comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer cells (130), each of said cell having an independently adjustable position and/or orientation such as to conform an ultrasound transmitting surface of the cell to a region of a body and a controller (140). The controller is configured to register the respective ultrasound transducer cells by simultaneously operating at least two ultrasound transducer cells in a transmit mode in which the cells transmit distinguishable ultrasound signals and operating the remaining ultrasound transducer cells in a receive mode. The controller extracts time-of-flight information of the respective ultrasound signals between transmitter and receiver and by systematically selecting different ultrasound transducer cells as transmitters, the controller collects sufficient time-of-flight information from which the respective position and/or relative orientation of the ultrasound transducer cells within the ultrasound transducer array may be derived. A method for operating the ultrasound system in this manner as well as a computer program product is also disclosed.

An ultrasound probe positioning system (100) comprises a positioning unit (102) for holding an ultrasound probe unit (104) and for moving the ultrasound probe unit and positioning it at a target position and a positioning control unit (106) configured to provide target positioning data indicative of a target position that establishes a mechanical contact of the ultrasound probe unit with an external object (110) and to control the mechanical positioning unit in moving and positioning the ultrasound probe at the target position. The positioning unit comprises a force actuation unit (108) configured to adapt a pressing force amount of a mechanical pressing force exerted on the object in response to a variation of a counterforce amount so as to maintain a predetermined net pressing force amount exerted by the mechanical pressing force against the counterforce.

An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasound probe; an imaging unit that transmits and receives an ultrasound beam to and from a subject using the ultrasound probe and converts a received signal output from the ultrasound probe into an image to generate an ultrasound image of the subject for each frame; a part determination unit that determines an imaging part of the subject using the ultrasound image generated by the imaging unit; a probe state determination unit that determines whether the ultrasound probe is in an aerial emission state or a contact state with the subject; and an apparatus control unit that controls the part determination unit such that part determination is not performed in a case in which the probe state determination unit determines that the ultrasound probe is in the aerial emission state and the part determination is performed in a case in which the probe state determination unit determines that the ultrasound probe has been changed from the aerial emission state to the contact state with the subject.

A force sensing device is disclosed that includes a housing tip, a plurality of sensors stationarily spaced from each other, and a spring element connecting the housing tip to the sensors such that moving the housing tip and the sensor relative to each other causes a resilient deformation of the spring element. The spring element is configured to arrange the housing tip in a zero position relative to the sensors by a spring force of the spring element. The force sensing device is also equipped with a spring tensioning structure configured to adapt the spring force of the spring element.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for coupling a flexible transducer to an object are described. A transducer positioning device may include an inflatable bladder and a strap. The inflatable bladder may apply a force to a transducer array to maintain its position against the object when inflated. The strap may hold the bladder against the transducer array. Once in place, the bladder may be inflated with a fluid.