To implement a single-chip ultrasonic imaging solution, on-chip signal processing may be employed in the receive signal path to reduce data bandwidth and an output data module may be used to move data for all received channels off-chip as a digital data stream. The digitization of received signals on-chip allows advanced digital signal processing to be performed on-chip, and thus permits the full integration of an entire ultrasonic imaging system on a single semiconductor substrate. The on-chip digitization of received signals also enables the on-chip integration of ultrasound processing and/or pre-processing to reduce the burden on off-chip computing. Data compression architectures are disclosed to facilitate the transfer of data off-chip as a digital data stream in accordance with the bandwidth requirements of standard commercially-available output interfaces.

A method of authorizing a limited use intravascular device can include determining if the intravascular device is in communication with a clinical system; determining if the intravascular device is authorized for clinical operation without providing the clinical system access to intravascular device data stored on the intravascular device; and providing an authorization signal to the clinical system. An intravascular device can include a flexible elongate member including a sensing component at a distal portion and a connector at a proximal portion, the connector including: a memory component configured to store a parameter value; a processing component; and a charge storage component configured to power the memory component and/or the processing component; wherein the processing component is configured to determine if the flexible elongate member is authorized for clinical operation using the parameter value without providing the parameter value to a clinical system.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for controlling the sampling of tissue using a guidewire. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a handle, a flexible dual lumen catheter couplable to the handle, and a guidewire guide disposed at a distal end of the flexible dual lumen catheter.

Ultrasound devices are disclosed. The ultrasound devices have an elevational dimension. Different percentages of the aperture of the ultrasound device corresponding to different percentages of the elevational dimension are utilized in different applications. The resolution of imagine may be adjusted in connection with usage of different percentages of the aperture.

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus including: an ultrasound probe having a transducer array; and a processor configured to: perform transmission and reception of an ultrasonic beam from the transducer array toward a subject, into which contrast media including microbubbles is introduced; image a reception signal output from the transducer array to generate an ultrasound image of the subject; acquire trajectories of the microbubbles in a one cross section of the subject by tracking movement of the microbubbles based on the ultrasound image corresponding to the one cross section of the subject; detect, as a feature point, a trajectory, in which a distance between a start point and an end point in a prescribed time range is less than a prescribed value, among the trajectories of the microbubbles; and display the ultrasound image, the acquired trajectories and the detected feature point on the display unit.

An ultrasound imaging system comprises an ultrasound imaging apparatus operable to acquire ultrasound image data and comprising a power accepting interface; and a dual function charging and cooling unit configured to detachably couple to the ultrasound imaging apparatus; wherein the dual function charging and cooling unit comprises i) a power conveying element to convey power to the ultrasound imaging apparatus and ii) an active cooling element for removing heat from the ultrasound imaging apparatus.

A method of distributing data to a transducer array of an ultrasonic device, the transducer array including transduction elements arranged in module units, includes generating a data packet using an optical transceiver controlled by a controller, the data packet including activation instructions encoded in a first wavelength, transmitting the data packet from the controller to a target device via a signal in an optical fiber, the target device having a beam divider device, splitting the data signal, using the beam divider device, into a plurality of data streams, where each of the data streams carries the data packet in an identical phase, transmitting the data streams to the module units, and activating the transduction elements based on the received data streams.

An ultrasound imaging system includes a processor that is programmed to operate the system in a normal operating state and two or more lesser power states. The processor lowers the operating power state to a lesser power state upon detecting one or more operating conditions such as no tissue been imaged in a predetermined time limit or that the imaging system or transducer has not been moved in a time limit. Upon awakening from a power off state, the processor implements a lesser power state before operating at the normal operating state to avoid undue power use until the transducer is positioned to image tissue.

An ultrasonic device may include an electromechanical system defined by a resonant frequency and further include an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. The device may be composed of two or more components, one of which is reusable and one of which is disposable. A method of detecting a proper installation of the components may include determining a spectroscopy signature of the blade coupled to the transducer, comparing the signature to a reference signature, determining an installation state of the components based on the comparison, and controlling a delivery of power to the transducer based on the comparison. The method may include enabling an operation of the device when the installation state of components is proper. The method may further include disabling the device when the installation state is not proper and generating a warning. The warning may be visible, audible, or tactile.

A highly portable ultrasound system is configured using a wireless ultrasound probe (10), a processor dongle (30) containing a radio and a digital processor running an operating system and an ultrasound control program, and any conveniently available television receiver or display monitor. The sonographer only needs to carry the small wireless probe and the thumbdrive-like dongle in order to turn any available display device, together with the two components carried by the sonographer, into a completely functional ultrasound system. The sonographer can enter a patient's hospital room, plug the processor dongle into the patient monitor in the room, and conduct an ultrasound exam using the patient monitor as the system display, for instance. The system can be controlled by a touchscreen tablet computer, a wireless mouse, or by distinct gestures made by the probe.