The present disclosure provides a system with an innovative electrode designed as an RF/microwave antenna as well as methods to monitor/assess biological tissue and perform surgical procedures.

There is provided a phase-domain detection apparatus for MIT application. The phase-domain detection apparatus includes a phase-locked loop unit configured to generate a plurality of reference clock signals having different phases and a phase-domain detection unit. The phase-domain detection unit is configured to receive the reference clock signals from the phase-locked loop unit, receive a response clock signal that is a phase-shifted reference clock signal of a reference clock signal inputted and passed through to a target object among the reference clock signals, and detect a phase difference between the reference clock signal inputted to the target object and the response clock signal.

A sensor device is described herein. The sensor device includes a multi-dimensional optical sensor and processing circuitry, wherein the multi-dimensional optical sensor generates images and the processing circuitry is configured to output data that is indicative of hemodynamics of a user based upon the images. The sensor device is non-invasive, and is able to be incorporated into wearable devices, thereby allowing for continuous output of the data that is indicative of the hemodynamics of the user.

A medical delivery device includes a first compartment configured to hold a first substance. The first compartment includes a first wall that includes a first ferrous material, and the first wall is configured to disintegrate and release the first substance into a patient in response to first electromagnetic radiation received by the first ferrous material. The medical delivery device also includes a second compartment attached to the first compartment and configured to hold a second substance. The second compartment includes a second wall that includes a second ferrous material, and the second wall is configured to disintegrate and release the second substance into the patient in response to second electromagnetic radiation received by the second ferrous material.

A thermoacoustic imaging device is provided having a transmitter configured to provide an electromagnetic transmit signal (e.g. a continuous sinusoidal signal) to an object being imaged. The transmit signal is a modulated continuous-wave signal based on a carrier frequency signal f.sub.c modulated at a modulation frequency at or near f.sub.m. The detector is further configured to receive an acoustic signal from the object being imaged, and is responsive to acoustic frequencies at or near 2f.sub.m. A non-linear thermoacoustic effect in the object being imaged generates the acoustic signal from the object being imaged. Spectroscopic maps could be generated and imaged object could be analyzed. The device enhances signal-to-noise ratio of the reconstructed image and reduces the requirement of peak power in thermoacoustic imaging systems. In addition, the generated pressure of the imaged object is separated from microwave leakage and feedthrough in frequency through the nonlinear thermoacoustic effect.

A method for providing an image of a subject by utilizing an array of transmission elements in a thermoacoustic imaging apparatus. The method includes providing an ultrasound image of the subject, determining a body anatomy from the ultrasound image, matching the body anatomy with at least one body model of a plurality of body models, utilizing shaped illumination fields from the at least one body model to adjust the parameters of a plurality of radio-frequency applicator elements upon the subject that will optimize the energy delivery and uniformity of illumination of a thermoacoustic stimulus in a region of interest (ROI), while also minimizing the thermoacoustic stimulus in other regions which could generate unwanted thermoacoustic artifacts that could interfere with the thermoacoustic signal from the ROI, wherein the radio-frequency applicator elements operate with independent, adjustable parameters, and utilizing the radio-frequency applicator elements to perform a thermoacoustic measurement of the subject.

Systems and methods for electronically monitoring chest sounds and/or sensing electrical cardiac signals such as ECG signals are provided. In one embodiment, a hybrid stethdiographer has a sensing assembly with a chestpiece and a user interface. Stethdiographer also includes a conduit, a power source compartment, a pair of binaurals and a corresponding pair of earpieces. The user interface includes a record button, a mode selector and a display screen. The chestpiece includes a diaphragm and a plurality of electrical cardiac sensors.

An acoustic wave device includes: an insertion object having a photoacoustic wave generator; an insertion object image signal generator that generates an insertion object image signal from a reception signal of an acoustic wave from the photoacoustic wave generator; a first signal width detector that detects a first signal width of a portion of a predetermined signal strength in the insertion object image signal; and an insertion object display image signal generator that generates, in a case where the first signal width is larger than a second signal width, an insertion object display image signal of a width having a center at a peak position of the insertion object image signal and corresponding to the second signal width, and generates, in a case where the first signal width is smaller than the second signal width, an insertion object display image signal having a width smaller than the second signal width.

A system and method for measuring biomechanical properties of tissues without external excitation are capable of measuring and quantifying these parameters of tissues in situ and in vivo. The system and method preferably utilize a phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for measuring the displacement caused by the intrinsic heartbeat. The method allows noninvasive and nondestructive quantification of tissue mechanical properties. Preferably, the method is used to detect tissue stiffness and to evaluate its stiffness due to intrinsic pulsatile motion from the heartbeat. This noninvasive method can evaluate the biomechanical properties of the tissues in vivo for detecting the onset and progression of degenerative or other diseases and evaluating the efficacy of therapies.

A biomagnetic measurement system includes a magnetism measurement apparatus configured to measure a magnetism of a target; and an electrical stimulation apparatus configured to apply a stimulation current to the target. The magnetism measurement apparatus includes a confirming unit configured to confirm a magnitude of an artifact caused by the stimulation current. The electrical stimulation apparatus is configured to output a compensation current for reducing the artifact after the stimulation current is output, based on information from the confirming unit.