Oec Medical Systems, Inc.

University of Utah Research Foundation

Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

Sarcos Group

Motion Control, Inc.

Techniscan, Inc.

Organon Teknika Corporation

Cvus Clinical Trials, LLC

Barry Keith Hanover

Stephen C Jacobsen

Robert L Stephen

Tomasz J Petelenz

Steven A Johnson

Eric M Simon

Steven Emerson Curtis

James W Wiskin

Michael G Mladejovsky

David T Borup

Roy J Orr

Jeffrey J Harrow

Frank B O'Farrell, Jr

Alfred P Tomasino

Robert G Buckingham

Jeffrey Pattee

R Larry Anderton

Michael J Berggren

Richard D Luntz

Carl Kablitz

Larry Anderton

Joseph Allred

David Ellis Barker

Vernon Jensen

Donald E Gregonis

Lonnie B Weston

Ross A Riches

Larry E Harrawood

Dennis L Coleman

Stephen K Hunter

Jeff Pattee

Scott Charles Olsen

Martin Kammeyer

Frank L Setinsek

Kortlan D Stewart

David Robinson

Blain C Erickson

Vernon T Jensen

Rita Hanover

Gregory Scott Lloyd

A breast scanning system configured to scan a breast of a patient includes a table configured to receive the patient thereon. The table has an aperture formed therein configured to receive the breast of the patient pendant therethrough and positionable over and into a bath configured to contain a medium. An armature is movably disposable in the bath. The armature carries transducer arrays that are disposable in the bath, and configured to transmit and receive acoustic and/or ultrasound signals. A manual control is operatively coupled to the armature to manually move the armature and thus the transducer arrays within the bath.

Breast scanning system

A breast scanning system scans a breast of a patient with transducer arrays that transmit and receive ultrasound signals in a bath containing a medium, such as a liquid. A table is disposable over the bath to receive the patient thereon, and has an aperture formed in the table and positionable over the bath to receive the breast of the patient pendent therethrough and into the bath. The table is linearly vertically displaceable with respect to the bath. The system includes a preconditioning tank to precondition the liquid prior to being introduced into the bath. The bath includes means for securing the breast within the bath.

A method for imaging and treating a breast of a patient includes: disposing the breast into a bath of medium; physically securing the breast and maintaining the breast in a repeatable position and in a repeatable shape with respect to a chest wall of the patient; scanning the breast with ultrasound signals from transducer arrays to create a three-dimensional image of the breast and to locate a position of a tumor or a lesion in the breast with respect to the three-dimensional image; and further treating the tumor or the lesion of the breast while maintaining the position and the shape of the breast with respect to the chest wall of the patient as during scanning.

Method for imaging and treating a breast

A system and method of controlling a medical device through voice commands is provided that includes an input unit, such as a microphone, for receiving a voice command identifying a function associated with one of a diagnostic and interventional procedure. The system also includes a control module for directing a medical device to perform the function based on the voice command. The system includes a voice decoder that decodes the voice command into a basic signal, and a protocol translator that converts the basic signal into a signal code associated with the voice command. The control module also includes a processing unit. The control module receives the signal code and the processing unit directs the medical device to perform the function designated by the signal code.

System and method for wireless voice control of an interventional or diagnostic medical device

A medical diagnostic imaging system includes an X-ray source and X-ray detector, sensors tracking a position of at least one of a surgical instrument and the X-ray detector, and an integrated imaging and navigation workstation. The integrated imaging and navigation workstation includes at least one processor executing fluoroscopic imaging based on an output of the X-ray detector and navigation tracking of positions of a surgical instrument and positions of an X-ray detector with respect to a coordinate system. The integrated imaging and navigation workstation also includes an input receiving surgical instrument tracking signals from the sensors, an input receiving detector tracking signals from the sensors, and a display for displaying fluoroscopic images with a displayed instrument superimposed. In particular, one or more relations of the displayed instrument with respect to the fluoroscopic image (e.g., coordinate location and rotation) corresponds to the relation of the surgical instrument to the patient.

Integrated fluoroscopic surgical navigation and imaging workstation with command protocol

A method and apparatus for reducing noise and motion artifacts in pixels of a processed or displayed video image by filtering pixel values of the video image based on a first frame having currently stored (filtered) pixel values and a second frame having recently captured but not yet filtered pixel values. The apparatus includes a spatial filter for computing a motion value of a pixel of interest by averaging difference values of selected pixels surrounding the pixel of interest. Also included is a filter function means for producing an output difference value of the pixel of interest based on the motion value and an adder for adding the output difference value to the first frame filtered pixel value of the pixel of interest. Thus, each pixel of the video image is filtered according to the amount of motion in the video image.

Method and apparatus for reducing motion artifacts and noise in video image processing

A system and method of x-ray imaging is provided that includes a support base, a bearing assembly supported by the support base, and a non-circular positioning arm rotating in a semi-elliptical path relative to the support base through the bearing assembly. The non-circular positioning arm has first and second distal ends. The shape of the non-circular positioning arm conforms to a shape of a portion of a linear spiral. The system and method also includes an x-ray source located at the first distal end of the positioning arm, an x-ray detector located at the second distal end of the positioning arm. The x-ray source emits a conical beam having a theoretical central beam. The central beam passes through an origin of the linear spiral. The system also includes an imaging isocentric area located between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector. The imaging isocentric area remains substantially constant when the noncircular positioning arm rotates relative to the support base.

Non-circular C-arm for fluoroscopic imaging equipment

A patient table with a table pivot member is disclosed. A patient support surface supporting a patient during a medical procedure is supported by a base which includes telescopic members to move the patient support surface vertically. A table pivot member connects the patient support surface to the base. The table pivot member enables the patient support surface to pivot in at least one of tilt and lateral roll directions with respect to the base. An actuating element composed of at least two actuators is connected between the patient support surface and the base to drive the patient support surface in at least one of tilt or lateral roll directions.

Mobile imaging table pivot mechanism

A method for providing automatic brightness control in a closed loop x-ray imaging system which utilizes an automatic brightness system (ABS) sampling window. The location, size and shape of the ABS sampling window is adjusted in accordance with statistical information including spatial gray scale distribution data derived from the data related to the x-ray system and image being processed, thereby enabling the automatic brightness control to make brightness and power adjustments in accordance with statistical data from the modified ABS sampling window.

Method and apparatus for automatic sizing and positioning of ABS sampling window in an x-ray imaging system

A mobile, bi-planar fluoroscopic imaging apparatus has first and second imaging systems disposed on first and second C-arms. The C-arms are preferably disposed on wheeled bases allowing for movement from one place to another. Alternatively, the first C-arm is large and disposed on a wheeled base while the second C-arm is smaller and disposed on the first C-arm such that it nests. A controller sends trigger pulses to the imaging systems causing the systems to alternate operation. Alternatively, the first and second systems are configured in a master/slave relationship with the master system sending triggering pulses to the slave. A display continuously displays the images produced by the imaging systems such that an image produced by the first system is displayed while the second system operated to produce an image and vis versa. A storage device stored the images as they are produced and later delivers the images to the display for viewing.

Mobile bi-planar fluoroscopic imaging apparatus

A one-piece C-arm for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment included in cross-section two generally vertical sidewalls extending generally parallel to one another, an inner support wall connecting the sidewalls, and an outer support wall spaced-apart from the inner support wall and connecting the sidewalls. A pair of flanges extend outwardly from respective sidewalls, and toward one another to form at least one channel along an outer portion of the C-arm frame for receiving wheels or bearings to allow moveable mounting of the C-arm on diagnostic equipment.

One piece C-arm for X-ray diagnostic equipment

A C-arm apparatus. An X-ray imaging system is coupled to a C-arm, including an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively on the C-arm. The C-arm is mass balanced about its axis of orbital rotation and is pivotally coupled to an articulating arm assembly supported upon a wheeled support base. The mass balance enables repositioning of the X-ray imaging system between an anterior-posterior view and an orthogonal lateral view with a single, orbital movement of the C-arm which also causes the views to define an imaging isocenter. The C-arm is preferably miniaturized to an approximate diameter of twenty-eight inches with a source-to-image distance of approximately fourteen inches.

Mini C-arm assembly for mobile X-ray imaging system

A C-arm apparatus. A C-shaped member is slidably supported in a suspended position by a support arm. The support arm is rotatable about an axis of lateral rotation and is slidably mounted to an outer circumference of the arc-shaped member at a point of attachment coinciding with the axis of lateral rotation. Since the support arm is attached to the C-shaped member in alignment with the axis of lateral rotation, the support arm does not introduce eccentric lateral moment-arm action during lateral rotation and thereby provides a more stabile, balanced support structure.

C-arm mounting structure for mobile X-ray imaging system

Growing community of inventors

Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Barry Keith Hanover