This disclosure provides a method for imaging lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels without a contrast agent. The method includes providing, using an optical source, an infrared illumination to a region of a subject having at least one lymphatic component, detecting a reflected portion of the infrared illumination directly reflected from the region using a sensor positioned thereabout, and generating at least one image indicative of the at least one lymphatic component in the subject using the reflected portion of the infrared illumination.

Devices, systems, and methods herein relate to non-invasive patient monitoring for infection detection and infection resolution. These systems and methods may receive and measure patient biosignals to estimate an infection level of a patient. In some embodiments, a method may include the steps of receiving physiological data of a patient. An infection measure may be estimated based on the physiological data. An infection state of the patient may be detected based at least in part on the estimated infection measure.

Several embodiments and methods are described for draining a lymphatic system for therapeutic purposes. The lymphatic draining can be performed by removal of fluid from the lymphatic system via a needle, a catheter, an access port, a reservoir, a shunt, or a combination of these devices. The drainage devices can be configured for use during only a single procedure or for reoccurring procedures.

A system and method for locating magnetic material. In one embodiment the system includes a magnetic probe; a power module in electrical communication with the magnetic probe to supply current to the magnetic probe; a sense module in electrical communication with the magnetic probe to receive signals from the magnetic probe; and a computer in electrical communication with the power module and the sense module. The computer generates a waveform that controls the supply of current from the power module and receives a signal from the sense module that indicates the presence of magnetic material. The magnetic probe is constructed from a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion of substantially 10.sup.−6/° C. or less and a Young's modulus of substantially 50 GPa or greater. In one embodiment magnetic nanoparticles are injected into a breast and the lymph nodes collecting the particles are detected with the probe and deemed sentinel nodes.

One aspect of the invention relates to a method for intraoperative assessment of parathyroid gland viability in a surgery. The method includes diffusing a beam of light onto a tissue surface of a parathyroid gland of a patient to illuminate the tissue surface; acquiring images of the illuminated tissue surface, where each of the acquired images includes a speckle pattern; and processing the acquired images to obtain speckle contrast images for the intraoperative assessment of parathyroid gland viability.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for imaging tumor resections.

A surgical instrument navigation system is provided that visually simulates a virtual volumetric scene of a body cavity of a patient from a point of view of a surgical instrument residing in the cavity of the patient. The surgical instrument navigation system includes: a surgical instrument; an imaging device which is operable to capture scan data representative of an internal region of interest within a given patient; a tracking subsystem that employs electro-magnetic sensing to capture in real-time position data indicative of the position of the surgical instrument; a data processor which is operable to render a volumetric, perspective image of the internal region of interest from a point of view of the surgical instrument; and a display which is operable to display the volumetric perspective image of the patient.

This disclosure relates to diagnostic devices for diagnosing lymphedema. The diagnostic devices may include an array of sensors, which can at least include a durometer, temperature sensor, and dielectric sensor, to measure parameters of tissue. The measurements may be used to generate a tissue health score to diagnose lymphedema and monitor tissue heath.

The present disclosure relates to compounds that are useful as near-infrared fluorescence probes, wherein the compounds include i) a pteroyl ligand that binds to a target receptor protein, ii) a dye molecule, and iii) a linker molecule that comprises an amino acid or derivative thereof. The disclosure further describes methods and compositions for incorporating the compounds as used for the targeted imaging of tumors. Conjugation of the amino acid linking groups increase specificity and detection of the compound. Methods and compositions for use thereof in diagnostic imaging are contemplated.

Systems and methods for identifying and assessing lymph nodes are provided. Medical image data (e.g., one or more computed tomography images) of a patient is received and anatomical landmarks in the medical image data are detected. Anatomical objects are segmented from the medical image data based on the one or more detected anatomical landmarks. Lymph nodes are identified in the medical image data based on the one or more detected anatomical landmarks and the one or more segmented anatomical objects. The identified lymph nodes may be assessed by segmenting the identified lymph nodes from the medical image data and quantifying the segmented lymph nodes. The identified lymph nodes and/or the assessment of the identified lymph nodes are output.