A medical object for arrangement in an object under examination includes an optical fiber. The optical fiber is configured to contact at least one light source optically. The medical object further includes multiple photoacoustic absorbers that are arranged in sections along a direction of longitudinal extension of the optical fiber and/or along a periphery of the medical object. The multiple photoacoustic absorbers are configured to be arranged at least in part in the object under examination. The optical fiber is configured to conduct an excitation light emitted by the at least one light source to the multiple photoacoustic absorbers. The multiple photoacoustic absorbers are configured to be excited by the excitation light for the photoacoustic emission of ultrasound.

One aspect relates to a guidewire system, a measuring system, and a method for manufacturing such guidewire system. The guidewire system includes a guidewire and a surface acoustic wave sensor device. A portion of a surface of the guidewire is coated by the surface acoustic wave sensor device. The surface acoustic wave sensor device may be configured for measuring a pressure change. The surface acoustic wave sensor device includes a piezoelectric substrate and a transducer. A thickness of the surface acoustic wave sensor device perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the guidewire is smaller than 100 μm.

A system for tracking a medical device includes an introducer (20). Two or more sensors (22) are disposed along a length of the introducer and are spaced apart along the length. An interface (32) is configured to connect to the introducer such that the introducer and the interface operatively couple to and support the medical device wherein the two or more sensors are configured to provide feedback for positioning and orienting the medical device using medical imaging.

A system for tracking a medical device includes an introducer. Two or more sensors are disposed along a length of the introducer and are spaced apart along the length. An interface is configured to connect to the introducer such that the introducer and the interface operatively couple to and support the medical device wherein the two or more sensors are configured to provide feedback for positioning and orienting the medical device using medical imaging.

In a transcatheter treatment support technique using a combination of a guide wire equipped with a photoacoustic technique and an ultrasonic imaging device, the ultrasonic imaging device estimates a front edge position of the guide wire using a difference between arrival times of photoacoustic waves arriving at an array of elements configuring an ultrasonic probe or a change of an image of the photoacoustic generation source, which depends on a distance of the photoacoustic generation source from an imaging region, and grasps a relationship between an imaging position and the front edge position of the guide wire using the estimation result. This enables visually grasping a relationship between a region (imaging region) from which an image is able to be obtained with reflective waves from a biological body with use of the ultrasonic probe and an insertion object present outside the region, particularly, the front edge of the guide wire.

Provided are an ultrasound imaging apparatus and a surgical operation support system for obtaining position information of a device outside an imaging area and presenting the position information to a user together with an ultrasound image. The surgical operation support system includes the ultrasound imaging apparatus, an ultrasonic source fixed to a therapeutic tool to be inserted into a subject body, a display device for displaying the ultrasound image and the position of the ultrasonic source. The ultrasound imaging apparatus is provided with a position estimator for estimating the position information of the ultrasonic source, and the position estimator analyzes a grating lobe artifact (false image) that is generated by the ultrasonic wave emitted from the ultrasonic source outside the imaging area, to estimate the position information of the ultrasonic source with respect to the imaging area.

An ultrasonic wave imaging apparatus is disclosed, including: an ultrasonic probe for irradiating a subject with an ultrasonic wave and receive a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave and receiving an ultrasonic wave from a beacon inserted into the subject; a probe position-acquiring unit for acquiring a 3D position and an orientation of the ultrasonic probe; a beacon location-acquiring unit for determining a 3D location of the beacon from relative location and speed of the beacon relative to the ultrasonic probe as calculated from an ultrasonic wave image received at the ultrasonic probe and the 3D position and the orientation of the ultrasonic probe as acquired by the probe position-acquiring unit; and a display image formation section for using the ultrasonic wave image of the ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic probe to form a display image. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

The present disclosure provides for an imaging probe with a rotatable core which allows for rotating imaging assembly that is larger in diameter than the lumen in which the rotatable core resides, as well as methods to construct said probes. The imaging probes are generally elongate flexible imaging catheters for use in cardiovascular procedures. The ability to have a smaller lumen to hold the rotatable core simplifies the inclusion of other functional components to the catheter and may improve the quality of the images produced.

A system for assisting in performing a medical operation on an organ, includes a display, a ultrasonic probe, and a processor configured to: upon receipt of echo signals from the probe, which are generated in response to ultrasound signals transmitted by the probe toward the organ, generate a first cross-sectional image along a first direction and a second cross-sectional image along a second direction, determine candidates of a first puncture line in the first image, input the first image and each candidate to a first learning model and acquire first evaluation information for each candidate, determine candidates of a second puncture line in the second image, input the second image and each candidate to a second learning model and acquire second evaluation information for each candidate, and control the display to display a first screen showing each candidate associated with the corresponding image and evaluation information.

Apparatus and methods are described for performing percutaneous catheter-based interventional surgery. The apparatus comprises first and second devices that are located in adjacent body cavities, such as adjacent blood vessels, the first device being capable of transmitting a directional signal that can be received by the second device. The direction of the signal is correlated with the facility to direct therapy, such that improved accuracy in therapy placement is thereby achieved. Methods for treating patients utilising the means and apparatus are also provided.