Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

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Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.v.

Philips Intellectual Property & Standards Gmbh

Bernd R David

Steffen Weiss

Oliver Lips

Sascha Krueger

Daniel Wirtz

Geoffrey Harding

Jens Peter Schlomka

Johannes Adrianus Overweg

Thomas Erik Amthor

Peter Forthmann

Falk Uhlemann

Axel Thran

Peter Klaus Bachmann

Rainer Willi Eckart

Thomas Koehler

Michael Grass

Gereon Vogtmeier

Bernhard Gleich

Robert Manzke

Heiner Daerr

Rainer Pietig

Willem Potze

Volker Van Elsbergen

Andriy Yaroshenko

Hans Barschdorf

Astrid Lewalter

Volker Doormann

Paulus René Maria Van Beers

Peter Flisikowski

Bernd Ulmer

Joachim Schulz

Leonardus Petrus Maria Tielemans

Juergen Mohr

Pascal Meyer

Michael Richter

Joachim Meys

Werner Lesmeister

Geoffry Harding

Astrid Fatou Lewalter

In order to improve the mechanical stability of an X-ray grating with top bridges for X-ray dark field imaging and/or X-ray phase contrast imaging, it is proposed to reduce or prevent the undesired high stress on the top bridges by a change in the manufacturing process. Specifically, it is proposed to electroplate the top bridges after the bending. In other words, the electroplating of the top bridges is performed on the bent geometry.

Stable top-bridge manufacturing for DAX gratings

An imaging system () includes an X-ray radiation source () configured to emit radiation that traverses an examination region. The imaging system further includes a controller (). The controller is configured to control an X-ray tube peak voltage of the X-ray radiation source to switch between at least two different X-ray tube peak voltages during a kVp switched spectral scan. The controller is further configured to control a grid voltage of the X-ray radiation source to follow the X-ray tube peak voltage during the spectral scan. The controller adjusts the grid voltage based on a predetermined mapping between a currently applied X-ray tube peak voltage and a corresponding grid voltage for a given focal spot size, thereby maintaining the given focal spot size throughout the spectral scan.

Maintaining a given focal spot size during a kVp switched spectral (multi-energy) imaging scan

The invention relates to electrophysiology catheter systems and their use, such as in an MRI environment, and in particular to analysis of electric signals from such. An electrophysiology (EP) catheter with a plurality of electrically isolated electrode segments arranged in longitudinally spaced bands around the catheter is used to detect electric signals. A workstation receives the electrical signals which are then processed by a processing unit. Electric signals from electrode segments can be used to determine roll angle information of the catheter in relation to patient anatomy by determining signals from electrode segments in contact with tissue. Also, electric signals can be used to extract a reference signal that can be used to correct for gradient induced artifacts.

Electrophysiology catheter

The invention provides for magnetic resonance imaging system () comprising a superconducting magnet () with a first current lead () and a second current lead () for connecting to a current ramping system (). The magnet further comprises a vacuum vessel () penetrated by the first current lead and the second current lead. The magnet further comprises a magnet circuit () within the vacuum vessel. The magnet circuit has a first magnet circuit connection () and a second magnet circuit connection (). The magnet further comprises a first switch () between the first magnet connection and the first current lead and a second switch () between the second magnet connection and the second current lead. The magnet further comprises a first current shunt () connected across the first switch and a second current shunt () connected across the second switch. The magnet further comprises a first rigid coil loop () operable to actuate the first switch. The first rigid coil loop forms a portion of the first electrical connection. The magnet further comprises a second rigid coil loop () operable to actuate the second switch. The second rigid coil loop forms a portion of the second electrical connection.

Automatic current switching of current leads for superconducting magnets

An RF-safe interventional or a non-interventional instrument is used during an MR imaging or MR examination of an examination object (A). The instrument is made of or includes at least one longitudinal or elongated electrically conductive element (), for example, in the form of a conductor or wire or line for feeding electrical signals, or in the form of the instrument itself or a component or a part thereof, which is not provided for feeding electrical signals but is nevertheless electrically conductive. All such elements are subject to RF common mode currents which are induced in the element when the instrument or element is exposed to an RF/MR excitation field generated during MR imaging or MR examination by an MR imaging apparatus. The instrument is made RF-safe by increasing the energy loss of an oscillator which is represented by the conductor () by a damping element () in order to prevent or limit RF heating of the examination object (A) at or surrounding the conductor ().

RF-safe interventional or non-interventional instrument for use in an MRI apparatus

A method of magnetic resolution (MR) imaging of a moving portion of a body of a patient placed in an examination volume of a MR device. For the purpose of enabling improved interventional MR imaging from acquiring a MR signal data with motion compensation, the invention proposes that the method includes repeated acts of collecting tracking data from an interventional instrument introduced into the portion of the body, subjecting the portion of the body to an imaging sequence for acquiring one or more MR signals therefrom, wherein parameters of the imaging sequence are adjusted on the basis of the tracking data, and reconstructing one or more MR images from the MR signal data set.

Interventional MR imaging with motion compensation

A transmission cable including a transmission line, at least two electrically conductive line segments separated by a non-conductive gap, a bridging unit including at least one electrically conductive bridge segment capable of bridging the non-conductive gap, and a switching unit arranged to move the bridging unit and/or the transmission line to electrically connect the two line segments by closing the non-conductive gap using the bridge segment or to electrically disconnect the two line segments by opening the non-conductive gap.

Transmission cable for use in radio-frequency magnetic or electrical fields

An interventional device () is configured to be positioned in a body and includes an electrically operable unit (E, E) configured to carry out an interaction with the body upon a receipt of electric power. The device further includes a sensor () configured for wirelessly receiving electromagnetic energy from a remote source. The sensor is configured as a resonant circuit (,) which converts the received electromagnetic energy into the electric power. The electrically operable device may include a diagnostic and/or therapeutic module.

Wireless interventional device and a system for wireless energy transmission

An electrically conductive transmission line for transmitting RF signals, in particular for transmitting MR signals between a transmission and/or receiving coil and a transmitting and/or receiving unit, by which separate known matching networks can be avoided or reduced. A transmission line is proposed comprising a plurality of lead segments coupled by transformers having a transformer impedance Zplaced between two neighboring lead segments, wherein for power matching of the two transformers placed at opposite ends of a lead segment, the lead segment has a lead segment impedance Zor a dielectric constant &#x2208;and wherein the lead segment has a short length l. Thus, the lead segments themselves provide the matching of the transformers, and separate matching circuits are no longer needed.

Transmission line for RF signals without matching networks

The present invention relates to a catheter () comprising: a connector () at a proximal side of the catheter for connecting the catheter to an external signal transmission/receiving unit () for transmitting and/or receiving signals, an electrode () at a distal side of the catheter, and an electrical connection including an electrical wire () for electrically connecting the electrode and the connector for the transmission of signals between the electrode and the connector, wherein the electrical connection has a high electrical resistance of at least 1 k&#x3a9;, in particular of at least 5 k&#x3a9;. Thus, the present invention provides a solution to prevent excessive heating during EP interventions under MR guidance by using highly resistive wires and or lumped resistors as connections within catheters.

Catheter and medical assembly

An apparatus for applying energy within an object includes an energy applying unit having an energy emitting element or outputting energy within the object and an energy storage unit locatable within the object and coupled to the energy emitting element. The apparatus further includes an electrical control line coupled to the energy applying unit for controlling the application of energy within the object by controlling transmission of energy from the energy storage unit to the energy emitting element.

Apparatus and method for applying energy within an object

An electrically conductive transmission cable for supplying a DC signal safely to an electrical device in the presence of radio-frequency (RF) fields in a magnetic resonance (MR) is disclosed herein. The transmission cable comprises a transmission line (STL) comprising at least a first segment (S) and a second segment (S), wherein the first and second segments are electrically connected to each other by a reactive coupling unit (), and a rectifier unit () connected to the transmission line and configured to extract the DC signal () from the modulated DC signal (). The extracted DC signal may be supplied to an electrical device or used for cardiac pacing. The transmission cable finds application in auxiliary devices used in an MR environment, for example an interventional catheter with or without an active tracking circuit ().

Transmission line for use in magnetic resonance system

A computed tomography reconstruction method includes concurrently emitting radiation from at least two x-ray sources (), switching the output state of each of the at least two x-ray sources () within a plurality of respective cross scatter sampling intervals () and detecting with a corresponding one of the sets of detectors () cross scatter radiation emitted by the other at least two x-ray sources (), wherein the cross scatter sampling intervals are angularly spaced over a plurality of frames to allow the at least two x-ray sources () to concurrently emit radiation throughout at least one frame, deriving scatter correction data for each set of detectors () from corresponding cross scatter samples, scatter correcting the projection data with corresponding scatter correction data, and reconstructing the scatter corrected projection data to generate at least one image.

Multi-tube imaging system scatter correction

The present invention relates to an X-ray source for the generation of fluorescent X-rays. The X-ray source is realized by an electron source for the emission of electrons and a target which emits X-rays in response to the incidence of the electrons, the target comprising a ring-shaped primary target for the emission of primary X-rays in response to the incidence of the electrons and a secondary target for the emission of fluorescent X-rays in response to the incidence of the primary X-rays. To obtain an enhanced radiance, it is proposed that the primary target comprises a liquid metal channel arranged in a radial direction relative to a central axis, and that a liquid metal circulates in the liquid metal channel during operation of the X-ray source in the radial direction from an inner side to an outer side of the ring-shaped primary target.

Fluorescent x-ray source

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Heuttblek, Germany

Bernd R David