Surgery inventions 10/07

20070249894 - Method of and apparatus for prevention of adjustable gastric band slips: A gastric restrictive device positionable around a human stomach to limit the flow of food therethrough is provided with structure for facilitating suturing of the gastric restrictive device to the stomach and thereby preventing movement of the gastric restrictive device relative to the stomach.... Agent: Michael A. O'neil Michael A. O'neil, P.C.

20070249888 - Blood pump-oxygenator system: A blood pump-oxygenator system including a housing, an impeller, a fiber bed, and a bypass channel that provides a path for blood to be recirculated through the fiber bed; a system comprising a housing, a means for drawing blood into the housing, a means for removing carbon dioxide from the... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20070249890 - At least partially implantable hearing system: An at least partially implantable hearing system comprising at least one electromechanical output transducer; a micromanipulator for positioning the transducer and for fixing the transducer in a position set by the micromanipulator, the micromanipulator being adapted to be fixedly attached by fixing means to a skull cap; and a releasable... Agent: Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP

20070249889 - Implantable prosthesis with direct mechanical stimulation of the inner ear: A prosthesis for stimulation of the inner ear, comprising means of excitation (11) which generate vibrations which can excite the ear of a patient, and an implantable part (1) comprising a rod which can transmit vibrations and which is configured in such a way that it can directly transmit vibrations... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070249891 - Ceiling newsletter system and method: A method for easing stress on a patient in a stressful treatment area, including the steps of: (a) providing at least one page of a periodically issued ceiling newsletter; (b) mounting at least two members of an attachment mechanism on a ceiling of the treatment area; (c) mounting at least... Agent: Kathleen M Harleston The Harleston Law Firm

20070249892 - Methods and devices for luminal and sphincter augmentation: Devices and methods for augmenting or otherwise enhancing closure of body lumens comprise magnetic or magnetizable components or particles which are implanted in the wall of the lumen. The magnet fields exerted by the components or particles act to close the body lumen with a desired force.... Agent: Fish & NeaveIPGroup Ropes & Gray LLP

20070249893 - Cuff for a lumen: A cuff for a lumen having at least one resilient strip with a base and first and second arms extending therefrom. Each of the first and second arms has a receiving face, the receiving faces being adapted to receive a lumen. At least one of the receiving faces has at... Agent: Madson & Austin Gateway Tower West

20070249895 - Stabilizer for in vivo examination: Dynamic movement of various specimens is effectively suppressed, while easily allowing compatibility with various specimens having a wide range of types, sizes, and shapes, and various types of examination methods of specimens. A stabilizer for in vivo examination that is placed in contact with a biological specimen in the vicinity... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP Eric S. Cherry - Docketing Supervisor

20070249896 - Endoscopic methods and devices for transnasal procedures: Medical devices, systems and methods that are useable to facilitate transnasal insertion and positioning of guidewires and various other devices and instruments at desired locations within the ear, nose, throat, paranasal sinuses or cranium. Direct viewing of such placements via an endoscope.... Agent: Law Office Of Alan W. Cannon

20070249897 - Medical treatment endoscope: The medical treatment endoscope according to the present invention includes a sheath having a flexibility; at least one arm member having a bending part that projects out from a front end of the sheath and performs bending actions; an open/close mechanism which directs the arm member from a direction along... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070249898 - Endoscope: An endoscope includes an insertion portion and a treatment instrument insertion channel, and is inserted into a body cavity; an operation portion which is connected to a proximal end side of the insertion portion; and a treatment instrument raiser which has a guiding surface for guiding a treatment instrument, and... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070249899 - Deflectable tip videoarthroscope: A deflectable tip videoarthroscope of 5.4 mm diameter or smaller, comprising a miniaturized chip-in-tip CCD with four-way angulations mounted on the distal end of the arthroscope. The deflectable tip videoarthroscope may be provided with a replaceable distal window made of a thin material (such as polycarbonate or acrylic) or a... Agent: Dickstein Shapiro LLP

20070249900 - In vivo device with balloon stabilizer and valve: An in vivo imaging system is provided with a capsule having at least one balloon configured to orient the capsule in a consistent orientation relative to an internal organ; at least one valve configured to control the quantity of gas within the at least one balloon; and an imager encased... Agent: Stevens Law Grp

20070249901 - Instrument having radio frequency identification systems and methods for use: One RFID equipped instrument includes an elongate body with a plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips spaced along the length of the elongate body. One system used for determining the position of an instrument includes an instrument; a plurality of radio frequency identification chips attached to the instrument;... Agent: Shay Law Group LLP

20070249902 - Dispenser: A dispenser for storing of disposable protecting sleeve is described. The sleeve is intended for covering of at least a portion of a flexible insertion tube of an endoscope. The dispenser comprises frontal housing detachably connectable to a rear housing. The frontal housing comprises cover assembly detachably connected thereto and... Agent: Bruce E. Lilling Lilling & Lilling PLLC

20070249904 - Endoscope device and display device: An endoscope device of the invention includes: an insertion portion disposed with an observation optical system; an operation portion continuously provided to a proximal end side of the insertion portion; a display device main body provided to a proximal end side of the operation portion and disposed with a monitor... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070249903 - Endoscopic treatment tool: An endoscopic treatment tool comprises: a first member having a first finger retaining part; and a second member having at least one second finger retaining part in a ring form, wherein one of the first and second members is a support member, and the other one of the first and... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070249905 - Medical tubular assembly: A medical tubular assembly includes four medical coilpipes together having a distal end portion insertable into a patient. The four medical coilpipes include a central coilpipe and three peripheral coilpipes disposed outward of the central coilpipe. The four medical coilpipes are wound from a continuous length of wire. In one... Agent: Thompson Hine L.L.P. Intellectual Property Group

20070249906 - Self-propelled endoscopic device with anchor system: A self-propelled endoscopic device with anchor system, comprising a tubular body of variable length extending between front end and rear end sections with respective anchors for securing the ends, temporarily and alternately, to a wall of a body cavity in synch with corresponding axial contractions and elongations of the tubular... Agent: Pollack, P.C.

20070249907 - Imaging assembly with transparent distal cap: An imaging assembly for use in a medical imaging device such as an endoscope or the like. In one embodiment, the imaging assembly includes a transparent distal cap that is shaped to receive an image sensor insert. The image sensor insert has a cooling channel that supplies a cooling liquid... Agent: Klarquist Sparkman, L.L.P. Michael P. Girard

20070249909 - Catheter configurations: The present invention is directed to variations of catheter configurations, wherein the outer shafts have been supplemented with electroactive polymer (EAP) material to modify the performance characteristics of the catheter.... Agent: Vidas, Arrett & Steinkraus, P.A.

20070249908 - Medical cannula and medical cannula system: A medical cannula includes a first medical cannula tube, a second medical cannula tube, a resiliently bendable coil spring, and a flexible first elongate member. The first tube has a distal end portion insertable within a patient. The second tube is entirely insertable within the patient, is spaced apart from... Agent: Thompson Hine L.L.P. Intellectual Property Group

20070249912 - Method for artery-vein image separation in blood pool contrast agents: A method for segmenting and separating arteries and veins in blood pool contrast agents (MRA). Specifically, arteries and veins are accurately segmented by an algorithm that combines local vessel models, discrete centerline models and ordered statistical front propagation to produce accurate segmentation results with the minimum amount of non-vascular inclusion.... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070249910 - 2d visualization for rib analysis: An exemplary method of visualization is provided. A centerline is computed for each of a plurality of ribs in a three-dimensional (3D) image. The each of the plurality of ribs is straightened based on the centerline computation. A two-dimensional (2D) image is generated based on the straightened ribs.... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070249913 - Hyperspectral imaging of angiogenesis: The invention is directed to methods and systems of hyperspectral and multispectral imaging of medical tissues. In particular, the invention is directed to new devices, tools and processes for the detection and evaluation of diseases and disorders such as, but not limited to diabetes and peripheral vascular disease and cancer,... Agent: Novak Druce & Quigg, LLP

20070249911 - Method and apparatus for optimizing a therapy: A method and apparatus to perform a procedure that can include a processor assisted surgical procedure. During the procedure patient space and image space can be registered to allow for tracking of various tracking sensors. An instrument can be placed relative to patient space based upon a plan.... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070249914 - System and method for identification of false statements: A method of detecting lie detection including the steps of first conditioning the subject to produce an involuntary physiological response triggered when the subject provides false statements; and secondly asking the subject to state whether each of series of statements presented to the subject are true. As the subject answers,... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20070249915 - Inhibitors: The present invention provides a skin test method for predicting the formation of spots in the skin. This method judges skin to be susceptible to the formation of spots in the case expression in the epidermis of MCP-2 gene, a polynucleotide capable of hybridizing under highly stringent conditions to mouse... Agent: Snider & Associates

20070249917 - System, device and method for determining the concentration of an analyte: There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is a system, a device and a method for sensing the concentration of an analyte in a fluid (for example, a fluid sample) or matrix. The analyte may be glucose or other chemical of interest. The... Agent: Neil A. Steinberg

20070249916 - Wearable glucometer: Apparatus for assaying an analyte in blood in a patient's blood vessel comprising: a light provider comprising at least one light source that illuminates a tissue region in which a blood vessel is located with light that stimulates photoacoustic waves in the region; at least one acoustic transducer that generates... Agent: Wolf, Block, Schorr & Solis-cohen LLP

20070249918 - Signal processing apparatus: The present disclosure describes a method and an apparatus for analyzing measured signals using various processing techniques. In certain embodiments, the measured signals are physiological signals. In certain embodiments, the measurements relate to blood constituent measurements including blood oxygen saturation.... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070249919 - Analyte monitoring device and methods of use: An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted... Agent: Jackson & Co., LLP

20070249920 - Analyte monitoring device and methods of use: An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted... Agent: Jackson & Co., LLP

20070249921 - Biological testing system: A connector for establishing electrical connection between a testing device and a test strip with a biological fluid thereon includes a contact pad on the test strip, and one or more contact wires in the testing device. When the strip is inserted into the testing device, part of the strip's... Agent: Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, Mcnett & Henry LLP

20070249922 - Medical device insertion: Devices and methods for inserting at least a portion of a medical device in a patient are provided. Embodiments include medical device insertions that employ a plurality of insertion stages. Also provided are systems and kits for use in analyte monitoring.... Agent: Jackson & Co., LLP

20070249923 - Composite flexible and conductive catheter electrode: A flexible cardiac catheter for sensing electrical activity within and administering therapy to a patients' heart has a series of flexible, conductive electrode bands positioned in grooves in the catheter's tubular body. The bands consist of alternating flexible and conductive elements, providing flexibility and overall versatility to the catheter. The... Agent: Stuart M. Goldstein Willow Ridge Executive Office Park

20070249924 - Medical wire: Disclosed herein is a medical wire with an intracorporeally indwelling member connected to the leading end part of a conductive wire through a thermally-fusible connecting member, wherein the contact of the leading end part of the conductive wire with the intracorporeally indwelling member can be surely prevented even when the... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070249925 - X-ray diagnostic device for mammography: An X-ray diagnostic device is provided. The X-ray diagnostic device includes a control device that is operable to optimally adjust a radiation of an X-ray emitter for a particular patient, and a measuring device. The measuring device is coupled to the control device. The measuring device is operable to determine... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20070249928 - Method and system for precise repositioning of regions of interest in longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy exams: The present invention provides a method and system for automatically processing longitudinal magnetic resonance (MR) images comprising obtaining a first MR image, selecting a region of interest within the first MR image, obtaining at least one subsequent MR image, applying a registration relative to the first MR image and the... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070249927 - Estimation of the average propagator from magnetic resonance data: An average propagator is estimated from diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance data. Diffusion-weighted signal attenuation data is determined from the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance data. Estimated average propagator data is determined from the diffusion-weighted signal attenuation data based on at least one of a priori information of the diffusion-weighted signal attenuation data or... Agent: National Institutes Of Health C/o Venable LLP

20070249926 - Magnetic field gradients adapted to position of region being imaged: A magnetic resonance apparatus comprises a magnet system for generating a magnetic field in a working volume. Magnetic gradient coils are used to generate one or more magnetic field gradients in the working volume so as to define regions from which magnetic resonance signals are obtained from a target material.... Agent: Maine & Asmus

20070249929 - Systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging: Methods and apparatus for operating an MRI system is provided. The disclosure provides a diffusion-prepared driven-equilibrium preparation for an imaging volume and acquiring 3-dimensional k-space data from said prepared volume by a plurality of echoplanar readouts of stimulated echoes. An excitation radio-frequency signal and first and second inversion RF signals... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20070249930 - Method and system for tracking devices with multiple rf transmit channels using mri: A method and system for monitoring the placement of a catheter during an interventional procedure is provided. The method integrates transmit coils with the catheter and controls the coils' RF transmission through additional channels that operate synchronously with a scanner's standard transmit channel. The method enables simultaneous planar roadmap imaging... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070249931 - Segmentation of the airway tree using hyperpolarized nobel gases and diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging: Diagnostic MR images of the lung are segmented to distinguish the airway tree from lung parenchyma. Diffusion weighted images of the lungs are acquired using hyperpolarized gas MRI and a segmentation image is produced from the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) image calculated from the diffusion weighted images. Voxels in the... Agent: Quarles & Brady LLP

20070249932 - Remote manipulator with eyeballs: A manipulator includes a distal end having a manipulating instrument configured for manipulation at a manipulation site, and a proximate end connectable to an interface. A pair of detectors is configured to capture stereoscopic images of the manipulation site. The pair of detectors and manipulating instrument are connected to the... Agent: Thorne & Halajian Applied Technology Center

20070249933 - Method and device for automatically differentiating types of kidney stones by means of computed tomography: At least one embodiment of the present application relates to a method and/or a device for automatically differentiating types of kidney stones by way of computed tomography. In at least one embodiment, the method provides two image data records of two computed tomography pictures of an object area including the... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070249934 - System and method for image-based interventional device tracking and scan plane guidance: An MR system and method for tracking a device of an interventional procedure within a scan subject is disclosed. At least two MR projections of the device are acquired, from which 3D coordinates of the device are determined. Subsequent image acquisition is adjusted with respect to the coordinates of the... Agent: Ziolkowski Patent Solutions Group, Sc (gems)

20070249935 - System and method for automatically obtaining ultrasound image planes based on patient specific information: A diagnostic ultrasound system is provided for automatically displaying multiple planes from a volume of interest. The system comprises a transducer for acquiring ultrasound data associated with a volume of interest having a target object therein. They system further comprises a user interface for designating a reference plane within the... Agent: Dean D. Small The Small Patent Law Group LLP

20070249936 - Devices and methods for treatment of tissue: Delivery systems, and methods using the same, having an ultrasound viewing window for improved imaging and a needle for ablation treatment of target tissues. In an embodiment, the target tissue is a fibroid within a female's uterus. In an embodiment the delivery system includes a rigid shaft having a proximal... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070249937 - Ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus and ultrasonic image display method: A technique for displaying an ultrasonic three-dimensional image and its tomographic image at the same time is disclosed. According to the technique, it is provided with: a transmitting/receiving circuit 111 for carrying out a transmitting/receiving control of ultrasonic waves; a three-dimensional processing unit 120 for forming a three-dimensional image from... Agent: Pearne & Gordon LLP

20070249938 - Systems, devices, and methods employing therapeutic ultrasound of living tissues: Systems, devices, and methods for delivering ultrasonic treatment to a subject. An ultrasound therapy device includes a waveform generator, one or more transducers, one or more sensors, and a controller. In some embodiments, the waveform generator is configured to generate a first driving signal having at least a first waveform... Agent: Seed Intellectual Property Law Group PLLC

20070249939 - Rigid delivery systems having inclined ultrasound and curved needle: A delivery system includes a rigid shaft, an imaging core, and an interventional core. The rigid delivery shaft has a proximal end, an angled distal tip, and an axial passage therethrough. The imaging core comprises an ultrasound imaging insert disposed within the axial passage. The imaging insert has an ultrasound... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070249940 - Ultrasonic endoscope: An ultrasonic endoscope comprising an insertion portion including a distal hard portion. The insertion portion comprises an ultrasonic transducer arranged in the distal hard portion and a treatment equipment lead-out hole, a slant surface on which an endoscopic viewing section is formed, the slant surface being provided in a position... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070249941 - Method for driving an ultrasonic handpiece with a class d amplifier: Method for controlling an ultrasonic handpiece of an ocular surgical system, such as a phacoemulsification system. First and second signal sources generate first and second drive signals. The first signal is at a first frequency and is used to drive a cutting tip of the handpiece with a first type... Agent: Alcon

20070249942 - System for driving an ultrasonic handpiece with a class d amplifier: System for controlling an ultrasonic handpiece of an ocular surgical system, such as a phacoemulsification system. First and second signal sources generate first and second drive signals. The first signal is at a first frequency and is used to drive a cutting tip of the handpiece with a first type... Agent: Alcon

20070249943 - Method of optically imaging biological tissues by using fluorescence, in particular for defining regions of interest in tissues to be analyzed by tomography: s

20070249944 - Means and method for the detection of cardiac events: Disclosed is a system for the detection of cardiac events that includes an implanted device called a cardiosaver, a physician's programmer and an external alarm system. The system is designed to provide early detection of cardiac events such as acute myocardial infarction or exercise induced myocardial ischemia caused by an... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20070249947 - Means and method for the detection of cardiac events: Disclosed is a system for the detection of cardiac events that includes an implanted device called a cardiosaver, a physician's programmer and an external alarm system. The system is designed to provide early detection of cardiac events such as acute myocardial infarction or exercise induced myocardial ischemia caused by an... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20070249946 - Non-invasive cardiac monitor and methods of using continuously recorded cardiac data: Embodiments of the invention provide methods of obtaining continuous cardiac information from a mammal. First, attach a self-contained, wearable, portable continuous cardiac monitor to the mammal to create a chamber containing electrodes used to detect cardiac signals from the mammal. Next, continuously detect without analyzing the cardiac signals from the... Agent: Shay Law Group LLP

20070249945 - Probabilistic fusion in arrhythmia diagnosis and therapy: This document describes, among other things, systems and methods for characterizing a tachyarrhythmia. A method comprises obtaining a current first primary characterization of the tachyarrhythmia and a current first primary confidence level of the current first primary characterization, obtaining a current second primary characterization of the tachyarrhythmia and a current... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20070249948 - Method of identifying strategies for treatment or prevention of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia: The present invention relates to evaluating the effect of physiological conditions on the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation, identifying strategies for treatment or prevention of ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, and evaluating a subject for induction of ventricular fibrillation from a condition of ventricular tachycardia.... Agent: Nixon Peabody LLP - Patent Group

20070249949 - Methods and apparatus for quantifying the risk of cardiac death using exercise induced heart rate recovery metrics: Methods and apparatus for assessing cardiac risks based on heart activity data obtained during a recovery stage of an exercise test of a specific patient. An embodiment of a method comprises determining a prognostic period of the heart activity data after a time t0 after a peak heart rate of... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP Patent-sea

20070249950 - Implanted air passage sensors: A physiological sensor is located within the airway of the subject's body, such as for measuring barometric pressure and communicating this value to a blood pressure or other monitoring device, which can derive gauge pressure using the barometric pressure and a measured absolute pressure within the body. The physiological sensor... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20070249951 - Apparatus, system and method for assessing alveolar inflation: A system and method for measuring alveolar performance during ventilation using a microphone positioned adjacent to the distal end of a ventilation tube. The microphone is connected to a monitor that filters the signals received from the microphone to eliminate unwanted noise, such as that caused by the heart and... Agent: Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC

20070249955 - Method and apparatus for detection of nervous system disorders: Systems and methods for detecting and/or treating nervous system disorders, such as seizures, are disclosed. Certain embodiments of the invention relate generally to implantable medical devices (IMDs) adapted to detect and treat nervous system disorders in patients with an IMD. Certain embodiments of the invention include detection of seizures based... Agent: Intellectual Property Group Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

20070249956 - Method and apparatus for detection of nervous system disorders: Systems and methods for detecting and/or treating nervous system disorders, such as seizures, are disclosed. Certain embodiments of the invention relate generally to implantable medical devices (IMDs) adapted to detect and treat nervous system disorders in patients with an IMD. Certain embodiments of the invention include detection of seizures based... Agent: Intellectual Property Group Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

20070249953 - Method and apparatus for detection of nervous system disorders: Systems and methods for detecting and/or treating nervous system disorders, such as seizures, are disclosed. Certain embodiments of the invention relate generally to implantable medical devices (IMDs) adapted to detect and treat nervous system disorders in patients with an IMD. Certain embodiments of the invention include detection of seizures based... Agent: Intellectual Property Group Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

20070249954 - Method and apparatus for detection of nervous system disorders: Systems and methods for detecting and/or treating nervous system disorders, such as seizures, are disclosed. Certain embodiments of the invention relate generally to implantable medical devices (IMDs) adapted to detect and treat nervous system disorders in patients with an IMD. Certain embodiments of the invention include detection of seizures based... Agent: Intellectual Property Group Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

20070249952 - Systems and methods for sleep monitoring: Systems and methods for monitoring EEG signals include dry electrodes that can be used in sleep monitoring systems. In one aspect, a system for sleep stage monitoring and measurement includes a first dry electrode for detecting EEG signals of a user, a housing, and a sleep stage processor disposed within... Agent: Fish & NeaveIPGroup Ropes & Gray LLP

20070249957 - Mapping spinal muscle tone: Systems and methods for collecting, analyzing, and/or displaying EMG data in the paraspinal muscles, include generating normalized EMG data using reference EMG data. Also disclosed are novel EMG parameters that are useful for at least one of diagnosis, determining a course of treatment, and/or monitoring a patient's response to a... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070249958 - Method for detecting the onset of ovulation: A method for detecting the onset of ovulation in a female mammal is provided. The method comprises contacting mouth air of the female mammal with an arylmethane test chromogen in an amount effective to undergo a rapid and detectable color change in the presence of one or more volatile sulfur... Agent: Dority & Manning, P.A.

20070249959 - Electromagnetic personnel interdiction control method and system: An electromagnetic personnel interdiction control (EPIC) non-destructive stun type weapon system and method utilizes beamed RF energy (Lorentz Force) to disrupt the normal mechanical transduction process and/or the chemical engine by which sound, position and other sensory input are converted to messages by nerve cells and processed by the brain... Agent: Kenneth A. Roddy

20070249960 - Biopsy punch: A biopsy punch for removing a biopsy sample from a biopsy area of a patient includes a handle and a tubular blade. The handle is adapted for gripping by a user. The tubular blade extends around a longitudinal axis and has first and second longitudinally spaced blade ends separated by... Agent: Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell & Tummino L.L.P.

20070249961 - Biological sample collection device: A swab device for collecting a biological sample from an individual is disclosed, the swab device comprising a head having a swab material for trapping a biological sample thereon and a body comprising means for moving the head relative to the body. Also disclosed is method of obtaining a biological... Agent: Klarquist Sparkman, LLP

20070249962 - Method and apparatus for lancet launching device integrated onto a blood-sampling cartridge: A method and apparatus (2) for obtaining a sample of blood. An embodiment consists of an apparatus (2) which integrates lancing (12), sample collection, and analysis. The presence of patients finger on the active sampling area can be sensed by monitoring the pressure applied by the finger on the device... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070249963 - Method and apparatus for lancet launching device integrated onto a blood-sampling cartridge: A method and apparatus (2) for obtaining a sample of blood. An embodiment consists of an apparatus (2) which integrates lancing (12), sample collection, and analysis. The presence of patients finger on the active sampling area can be sensed by monitoring the pressure applied by the finger on the device... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070249964 - Polymer coated guide wire: A guidewire or section thereof, that has a core member or the like with a plurality of contiguous tapered segments having taper angles that are configured to produce a linear change in stiffness over a longitudinal portion of the device. The device may also have a core section with a... Agent: Fulwider Patton LLP

20070249965 - Superelastic guiding member: An improved guiding member for use within a body lumen having a unique combination of superelastic characteristics. The superelastic alloy material has a composition consisting of about 30% to about 52% (atomic) titanium, and about 38% to 52% nickel and may have one or more elements selected from the group... Agent: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc./ Finnegan Henderson L.L.P.

20070249966 - Device and method for measuring urethral angle: A medical device for measuring the angular deviation of an elongated insertion instrument inserted into an urethra and method for determining the condition of the pelvic floor of a patient. It includes a channel adapted to receive an elongated insertion instrument along a longitudinal access and an indicator to measure... Agent: Jafari Law Group, P.C.

20070249968 - Collecting posture information to evaluate therapy: A medical device delivers a therapy to a patient. Posture events are identified, e.g., a posture of the patient is periodically determined and/or posture transitions by the patient are identified, and each determined posture event is associated with a current therapy parameter set. A value of at least one posture... Agent: Shumaker & Sieffert, P. A.

20070249967 - Computer-aided osteoplasty surgery system: A method for performing computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery includes the steps of: (1) producing and displaying three-dimensional geometrical models of first and second bones, the first and second bones forming a joint; (2) identifying a zone of impingement between the first bone and the second bone on at least one of... Agent: Darby & Darby P.C.

20070244351 - Radioactive therapeutic apparatus: A method and device for applying a radioactive source to a tissue site is disclosed. The device facilitates the precise placement of, for example, 125Iodine seeds relative to the surgical margin, assures the seeds remain fixed in their precise position for the duration of the treatment, overcomes the technical difficulties... Agent: David M. Driscoll, Esq.

20070244352 - Apparatus for the prevention of urinary incontinence in females: An apparatus for treating urinary incontinence, comprising a node; a support section adapted for providing urethral support attached to the node; and, an anchoring section adapted for resisting movement of the apparatus attached to the node; wherein the node is no longer than 30% of the entire length of the... Agent: Martin D. Moynihan

20070244353 - Resectoscopic device and method: A surgical instrument has a channel dimensioned to receive a viewing instrument and enable the viewing instrument to be moved to or from a position near an optically transparent portion of a blunt, enclosed distal end of a shaft to provide unobstructed viewing through the distal end, and a position... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.

20070244354 - Vibratory device, endoscope having such a device, method for configuring an endoscope, and method of reducing looping of an endoscope.: An endoscope assembly includes an insertion tube including a channel and a vibratory device inserted into the channel of the insertion tube.... Agent: Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P.

20070244355 - Catheter for use with an endoscope: Endoscopes, medical devices for use with endoscopes, and methods for making and using endoscopes. An example medical device for use with an endoscope is a catheter having one or more ridges formed on an outer surface thereof. The ridges may interact, for example, with the elevator of an endoscope.... Agent: Crompton, Seager & Tufte, LLC

20070244356 - Elongate medical devices having an improved distal profile for use with an endoscope: Endoscopic medical devices and methods for making and using the same. An example medical device for use with an endoscope is a catheter having a key member disposed on the distal end region of the catheter. The key member defines a key region that may be shaped so that at... Agent: Crompton, Seager & Tufte, LLC

20070244357 - Scanned beam imagers and endoscopes utilizing multiple light collectors: Apparatuses and methods for scanned beam imagers and scanned beam endoscopes that utilize multiple light collectors are disclosed. In one aspect, a scanned beam imager is disclosed. The scanned beam imager includes a scanned beam source operable to scan a beam onto a region of interest of an object. The... Agent: Edward W. Bulchis, Esq. Dorsey & Whitney LLP

20070244358 - Surgical instrument: An endoscopic or laparoscopic instrument includes a distal tool, a rigid or flexible elongated shaft that supports the distal tool, and a proximal handle or control member, where the tool and the handle are coupled to the respective distal and proximal ends of the elongated shaft via bendable motion members.... Agent: David M. Driscoll, Esq.

20070244361 - Balloon unit for endoscope apparatus: The present invention provides a balloon unit for an endoscope apparatus comprising: a balloon for an endoscope apparatus having an opening formed in a cylindrical shape in which an insert part of an endoscope or an insert supporter having the insert part inserted therein is inserted and fixed; and a... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070244360 - Endoscope: The present invention provides an endoscope comprising: an insert portion having a bending portion for bending operation and a flexible soft portion connected to the proximal end of the bending portion; an inflatable/deflatable balloon attached on the proximal side from the bending portion; and a supplying/sucking opening provided in the... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070244359 - Capsule for use in small intestine: Apparatus for use in a body lumen is provided including an introducer tube configured to be advanced into a gastrointestinal tract of a subject. A guide member is coupled to a distal end of the introducer tube and is configured to be mounted in a vicinity of a valve of... Agent: Darby & Darby P.C.

20070244362 - Segmented colonoscope: A colonoscope includes an elongated body extending between a proximal and a distal end, a tip arranged on the distal end of the elongated body, and a handle arranged on the proximal end of the elongated body, wherein the elongated body generally increases in diameter and flexibility from the distal... Agent: Mccormick, Paulding & Huber LLP

20070244363 - Gas supplying apparatus, control method of the same, gas supplying system, and endoscope system: A gas supplying apparatus according to the present invention includes a switching unit, which is connected to a gas supplying channel of an endoscope, configured to supply gas to the body cavity of a patient via the gas supplying channel, and switches to a state of supplying gas to the... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070244364 - Endoscope tips, scanned beam endoscopes using same, and methods of use: Apparatuses and methods for scanned beam endoscopes, endoscope tips, and scanned beam imagers are disclosed. In one aspect, a scanned beam endoscope includes an endoscope tip having a scanner, an illumination optical fiber, and at least one light detection element. The illumination optical fiber may be positioned so that a... Agent: Dorsey & Whitney LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070244365 - Scanned beam imagers and endoscopes with positionable light collector: Apparatuses and methods for scanned beam imagers and scanned beam endoscopes having a positionable light collector are disclosed. In one aspect, a scanned beam imager includes a scanned beam source operable to scan a beam across a FOV and a light collector structured to collect light affected by the FOV.... Agent: Michael G. Pate, Esq. Dorsey & Whitney LLP

20070244366 - Electronic endoscope: A white LED portion of an optical adapter is configured by a plurality of LED elements in an n-serial and m-parallel matrix configuration, and an identification resistance for identifying the type of the white LED portion. In an operation portion of an endoscope portion, an LED drive portion for driving... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070244367 - Methods and systems for enhanced medical procedure visualization: The present invention employs image intensification for medical procedures within the human body. Methods and systems of the invention utilize infrared radiation (e.g. greater than about 750 nm) illumination and visualization of a surgical treatment area Preferred methods and systems of the invention incorporate use of an infrared radiation visualization... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20070244370 - Miniature wireless apparatus for collecting physiological signals of animals: A miniature wireless apparatus for collecting physiological signals of animals includes a connector, an amplifier module, a microcontroller, a radio module and a power supply. The connector is attached to an animal to be tested by buckling a joint of the connector to a joint of a connector on the... Agent: Egbert Law Offices

20070244368 - Diagnostic test devices: A diagnostic test apparatus comprising: a shaft having a first end and a second end; a swab or a biopsy punch mounted on the first end of a shaft; and a cap for fitting over the first end of the shaft, said cap containing at least one diagnostic test reagent;... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070244369 - Medical imaging system for mapping a structure in a patient's body: The present invention relates to a medical imaging system for guiding a medical instrument (4) which performs a plurality of actions at a plurality of points (P1, P2, . . . PM) in contact with a structure (3) of a body of a subject. Such a medical system comprises acquisition... Agent: Philips Medical Systems Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070244371 - Phlebectomy illumination device and methods: The disclosure relates to the use of subcutaneous illumination during phlebectomy procedures, and to devices and methods for performing hook phlebectomy while visualizing veins and surrounding tissue using light emitted subcutaneously and beneath the surgical area. An apparatus comprises, in one embodiment, a handle, an illuminator portion extending distally from... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070244372 - System and method for medical diagnosis: A system and method for generating a medical diagnosis is provided. In a first embodiment of the present invention a conversion table is created and stored in a computerized storage media of a computerized system, the conversion table converts raw test data into numeric values. Furthermore, a sub-diagnosis database is... Agent: Thompson Hine L.L.P. Intellectual Property Group

20070244374 - Integrated self-contained recorder of biological data for small animal research: An apparatus and method for the recording of physiological variables in small animals are described. The apparatus is an integrated self-contained recorder including a converter of biological signals into a digital form, a data storage unit, a data output for transporting the stored data from the recorder after the end... Agent: Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan Suelthaus PC

20070244373 - Measurement device: A measurement device for sensing medical parameters in a human body can be accommodated in a body cavity, in particular in a blood vessel, and has at least one sensor and one holder. In order to temporarily or permanently implant and subsequently remove the measurement device from the body cavity... Agent: Volpe And Koenig, P.C.

20070244375 - Method for screening and treating patients at risk of medical disorders: Method for screening patients to predict which patients at risk of a medical disorder, such as morbid obesity, gastrointestinal problems, or gastroesophageal problems, will be responders, and conversely, which patients will not, to achieve a favorable outcome from therapy for that disorder. This method supports an intervention strategy for patients... Agent: Fitch Even Tabin And Flannery

20070244376 - Physiological signal apparatus with digital real time calibration: A digital vital sign apparatus with real time calibration is provided which comprises a tissue adaptor, several physiological signal measurement devices with an ability of movement detection, and a physiological analyzer. The present invention provides wrapping a tissue like finger for testing, palm or wrist with elastic membrane to buffer... Agent: Wpat, PC Intellectual Property Attorneys

20070244378 - Noninvasive oximetry optical sensor including disposable and reusable elements: A pulse oximetry sensor includes reusable and disposable elements. To assemble the sensor, members of the reusable element are mated with assembly mechanisms of the disposable element. The assembled sensor provides independent movement between the reusable and disposable elements.... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070244377 - Pulse oximeter sleeve: A pulse oximeter sleeve of elastic and/or form-fitting material for positioning light-emitting diodes and a detector securely with respect to a human's foot or hand.... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070244379 - Silicone based membranes for use in implantable glucose sensors: Membrane systems incorporating silicone polymers are described for use in implantable analyte sensors. Some layers of the membrane system may comprise a blend of a silicone polymer with a hydrophilic polymer, for example, a triblock poly(ethylene oxide) -poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) polymer. Such polymeric blends provide for both high oxygen solubility... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070244380 - Analyte monitoring device and methods of use: An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted... Agent: Jackson & Co., LLP

20070244381 - Blood analyte determinations: The present invention comprises methods and apparatuses that can provide measurement of glucose and other analytes with a variety of sensors without many of the performance-degrading problems of conventional approaches. An apparatus according to the present invention comprises a blood access system, adapted to remove blood from a body and... Agent: V. Gerald Grafe, Esq.

20070244382 - Blood analyte determinations: The present invention comprises methods and apparatuses that can provide measurement of glucose and other analytes with a variety of sensors without many of the performance-degrading problems of conventional approaches. An apparatus according to the present invention comprises a blood access system, adapted to remove blood from a body and... Agent: V. Gerald Grafe, Esq.

20070244383 - Sensing system with auxiliary display: A system is provided for sensing blood glucose data of a patient. The system includes a sensor, user interface, and an optional auxiliary device. If the connection between the sensor and user interface is by a wire, the sensor remains powered when the wire is disconnected. The communication between the... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

20070244384 - Patient calming arrangements: An arrangement for presenting visual images, for example to a patient to be investigated by a scanning medical apparatus of the kind having a patient volume intended to accommodate part at least of the patient; the arrangement comprising visual display means including at least one screen so disposed in relation... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20070244385 - Magnet structure for mri apparatus and mri apparatus: A magnet structure for an MRI apparatus utilizing a permanent magnet, which apparatus has an inverted U shape with two essentially parallel opposed pole pieces, which are supported at a predetermined distance from each other by an inverted U-shaped magnetic yoke, which pole pieces and/or at least a portion of... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070244387 - Risk assessment for planned trajectories: A method for planning the placement of a device in a body includes analyzing information of at least part of the internal structure of the body of a patient to determine if at least one specific or critical region or structure lies within a region of interest, said region of... Agent: Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP

20070244386 - Target tracking method and apparatus for radiation treatment planning and delivery: A target treatment apparatus for treating a target region (130) within a subject (140) is provided. The apparatus includes an MRI apparatus (100) for generating MR images during an MR scan of the subject disposed within an examination region (110). The apparatus further includes an MRI localizer (150) for receiving... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070244388 - Position detection system, guidance system, position detection method, medical device, and medical magnetic-induction and position-detection system: There are provided a position detection system, a guidance system, and a position detection method which obviate the need for frequency adjustment of an alternating magnetic field used in position detection of a device and which allow the device to be made more compact and less expensive. There are included... Agent: Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser, P.C.

20070244389 - Methods and apparatus for relative perfusion and/or viability: A method of evaluating tissue of an organ includes performing at least one of classification processing and clustering processing to obtain a processed dataset to visualize at least one of the imaging agent, blood, the contrast agent, and the biomedical agent distribution in the tissue, a relative regional uptake of... Agent: Fisher Patent Group, LLC

20070244390 - Diagnostic ultrasound system and method of displaying elasticity image: A diagnostic ultrasound system includes an ultrasound transmitting and receiving system for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from a object to be examined 10, an elasticity image capturing system for capturing an elasticity image related to body tissue of the object to be examined on the basis of... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070244391 - Image diagnostic system and apparatus, and processing method therefor: An image diagnostic system controls a probe to perform radial scanning within a body cavity produces data based on signals received by the probe to construct and display a tomographic image of the body cavity and surrounding biotissue. The system includes a generation unit, a selection unit and a conversion... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070244392 - Ultrasonic probe: An ultrasonic probe includes ultrasonic oscillating elements arranged in a two-dimensional array shape, connection leads connected to the ultrasonic oscillating elements, and at least one board to connect the ultrasonic oscillating elements and integrated circuits. The board includes a first part having through-holes which are electrically connected to the connection... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070244393 - Image diagnosing support method and image diagnosing support apparatus: This is an image diagnosing support method comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring a plurality of images obtained by imaging the same region of the same object with one or more medical imaging apparatuses and having positional information at the time each of the images was picked up; a selecting... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070244394 - System and method of branch vessel marking: A system and method of branch vessel marking including a branch vessel marking system for a branch vessel off a main vessel, the branch vessel having an ostium and a branch vessel centerline, the system having a catheter 105 and a balloon 110 operably attached to the catheter 105. The... Agent: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.IPLegal Department

20070244395 - Systems and methods for multi-spectral bioluminescence tomography: Bioluminescent imaging has proven to be a valuable tool for monitoring physiological and pathological activities at cellular and molecular levels in living small animals. Using biological techniques, target cells can be tagged with reporters which generate characteristic photons in a wide spectrum covering the infra-red range. Part of the diffused... Agent: Needle & Rosenberg, P.C.

20070244396 - Apparatus and method for the analysis of retinal vessels: The object of an apparatus and a method for the analysis of retinal vessels is to improve the reproducibility of individually determined artery-to-vein ratios and to reduce the measurement uncertainty in determining the artery-to-vein ratio in order to substantially increase the individual validity of the determined values for vessel diagnosis.... Agent: Reed Smith, LLP Attn: Patent Records Department

20070244397 - Blood pressure sphygmomanometer integrated into a common apparatus: A sphygmomanometer cuff assembly, air pump, pressure sensor and release valve are contained in an otherwise conventional apparatus. Alternative embodiments are illustrated and discussed herein. In one such embodiment the sphygmomanometer cuff is nominally positioned within the apparatus structure and is extended outside the apparatus housing during the measurement. In... Agent: Leonard Tachner, A Professional Law Corporation

20070244398 - Power saving techniques for continuous heart rate monitoring: A heart rate monitor implements power saving algorithms while monitoring a subject's heart rate. The monitor continuously monitors a subject during an initial period to determine an initial heart rate. After the initial heart rate is acquired, power may not be provided for portions of the monitor until a heart... Agent: Vierra Magen Marcus & Deniro LLP

20070244399 - Pulse measurement device, method and medium: A pulse measurement device for more precisely measuring a pulse, including a sensing unit to sense a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal and an acceleration signal obtained from a user, a pressure control unit to control pressure applied to the sensing unit, and a signal determination unit to determine an optimum pressure... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070244400 - Compliant biometric sensor apparatus: Compliant biometric sensor apparatus are disclosed. A disclosed example biometric sensor apparatus includes a handgrip having a length and at least one substantially compliant portion extending along at least a portion of the length and at least one electrode coupled to the compliant portion so that the electrode is movable... Agent: Hanley, Flight & Zimmerman, LLC

20070244403 - Implantable myocardial ischemia detection, indication and action technology: One embodiment enables detection of MI/I and emerging infarction in an implantable system. A plurality of devices may be used to gather and interpret data from within the heart, from the heart surface, and/or from the thoracic cavity. The apparatus may further alert the patient and/or communicate the condition to... Agent: Alan S. Raynes, Esq. Konrad Raynes & Victor LLP

20070244401 - Method and apparatus for analyzing and editing ecg morphology and time series: A method and apparatus for analyzing the QT interval characteristics of ECG signal data having a succession of waveforms produced by the beating of the heart. ECG signal data is obtained from a patient. The R-R interval and the QT intervals of the waveforms of the ECG signal data are... Agent: Andrus, Sceales, Starke & Sawall, LLP

20070244402 - System and method of monitoring physiological signals: A physiological signal monitoring and analysis system including an implantable medical device and a signal processor. The implantable medical device is configured to monitor and record sample segments of at least one physiological signal of a patient at time separated recording intervals over a time period. The signal processor configured... Agent: Dicke, Billig & Czaja

20070244404 - Identifying infants at risk for sudden infant death syndrome: A method for identifying infants at risk for SIDS includes applying electrodes to an infant, receiving electrical signals from the electrodes, analyzing the received electrical signals to measure alternans of a heart of the infant, and identifying whether the infant is at risk for SIDS. A system for identifying infants... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070244405 - Multi-tier system for cardiology and patient monitoring data analysis: In a multi-tier patient monitoring data analysis system, an algorithm server is positioned as a middle tier between an acquisition device, such as a cardiograph or patient monitor that can be seen as a lower tier, and a storage device for a database, such as that of a central computer... Agent: Andrus, Sceales, Starke & Sawall, LLP

20070244406 - Method and system for managing interventional pulmonology: The invention provides a method and system for assessing an interventional pulmonology procedure. A plurality of sound transducers are fixed on a surface of the individual over an individual's respiratory tract that generate signals indicative of pressure waves at the transducers. A processor receives the signals and generates from the... Agent: Nath & Associates, PLLC

20070244407 - Evoked response to stimulation: In an embodiment, an evoked response of an electrode may be determined. The evoked response may be compared to other evoked responses to determine the location of the electrode. The evoked response may be measured during electrode implantation so that desired changes can be made and if electrodes are being... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.

20070244408 - Spatiotemporal pattern recognition for neurological event detection and prediction in an implantable device: A system and method for detecting and predicting neurological events with an implantable device uses a relatively low-power central processing unit in connection with signal processing circuitry to identify features (including half waves) and calculate window-based characteristics (including line lengths and areas under the curve of the waveform) in one... Agent: Neuropace, Inc.

20070244409 - Electric field control device and detection device: The present invention provides an electric field control device that can transmit a quasi-electrostatic field more efficiently. There is provided an electric field control device that applies electric fields to an electric field application subject, which includes a first electrode and a second electrode that generate the electric fields, a... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20070244410 - Removing artifact in evoked compound action potential recordings in neural stimulators: The accuracy of neural response recordings in neural stimulators, e.g., cochlear implants, is often degraded by a recording artifact. An idealized electrical-equivalent model of a neural stimulator is created to study, measure and compensate for artifact evoked compound action potential (eCAP). Using this model, the artifact is shown to occur... Agent: Advanced Bionics Corporation

20070244411 - Method and system for monitoring intracranial pressure: Method and system for monitoring intracranial pressure. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring intracranial pressure (ICP) for at least one patient. The method includes positioning an ear probe into an ear canal. The method further includes measuring a first acoustic reflectance using the ear... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070244412 - Medical apparatus for use by a patient for medical self treatment of diabetes: The invention relates to an apparatus for self-treatment of diabetes. The apparatus is particularly advantageous by comprising a plurality of devices each of which has its own dedicated function corresponding to a number of acts which a diabetic must perform on himself. The individual devices are mutually interconnectible, and the... Agent: Patent Department Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

20070244414 - Composite guidewire: Alternative designs, materials and manufacturing methods for guidewires. Some embodiments pertain to a composite guidewire having proximal and distal section, and a connector adapted and configured for permanently joining the proximal section to the distal section. In some embodiments, at least one of the sections is made of a linear-elastic... Agent: Crompton, Seager & Tufte, LLC

20070244413 - Medical guidewire tip construction: A medical guidewire having a core-to-tip construction that includes a core wire region surrounded by a flexible coil. The core wire having a distal tip segment that includes a proximal flat drop axially separated from a distal flat drop by a cylindrical or frusto-conical linking portion. The proximal and distal... Agent: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.IPLegal Department

20070238918 - Male prosthesis device: A male prosthesis device configured to be worn on a flaccid, partially-erect or erect penis which transmits tactile sensations through a stimulation material to the surface of the penis. The device includes a prosthesis with an outer surface and in inner chamber, a microprocessor, one or more sensors and one... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070238914 - Cardiac tissue energy dispersion device: An electromagnetic cardiac assembly adapted to assist ventricular output in a human heart includes a magnetic mat adapted for mounting inside a human body near the heart. The mat is made from a material responsive to application of an electromagnetic field so as to be movable into compressive relation with... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070238915 - System for preventing diastolic heart failure: A pumping system for assisting the circulatory system of a patient, wherein the system includes a rotary flow blood pump by a first cannula connected to a portion of the left side of the heart and a second cannula connected to the aorta; and characterised in that the pumping speed... Agent: Connors Associates

20070238916 - Semen catheter improvement for artificial insemination in animals: The invention discloses a semen catheter improvement for artificial insemination in animals, comprising a connecting orifice disposed at the head part of flexible catheter, a more rigid cap body fitted over the connecting orifice, a covering member disposed at the inward end of cap body and propping against the head... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20070238917 - Organ manipulator having suction member supported with freedom to move relative to its support: An organ manipulator including at least one suction member or adhesive disc mounted to a joint providing freedom of movement of the at least one suction member or adhesive disk relative to its support. A method for retracting and suspending an organ in a retracted position using suction (or adhesive... Agent: Law Office Of Alan W. Cannon

20070238919 - Method and apparatus for relieving erectile dysfunction: A restrictor for relieving the symptoms of erectile dysfunction by applying pressure to the corpora cavemosa. The restrictor includes a visual gauge for signaling a purchaser of adequate fit and/or potential overuse. The restrictor includes a surface treatment that changes temperature with color. The restrictor may be a rigid metal... Agent: The H.t. Than Law Group

20070238920 - Swallowing function evaluating apparatus: A swallowing function evaluating apparatus capable of quantitatively evaluating a swallowing function safely and repeatedly, which comprises a height variation detecting unit 10 for detecting a variation in the height of the surface of a throat from a predetermined reference position in the height direction in which a thyroid protrudes... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070238921 - Capsule imaging device using fluorescent light: A pill shaped device for in vivo imaging of tissues of the digestive system. The capsule imaging device gathers images of tissues of the gastro-intestinal tract that have been tagged by fluorescent dye. The light source of the device causes the fluorescent dye tagging the tissues to emit light images... Agent: John Weirich

20070238922 - Endoscope shape detecting device: A driving signal is supplied from a transmission block to a magnetic-field generating element arranged on either one of an inside of an endoscope insertion portion and an outside of an endoscope. A magnetic field generated by the magnetic-field generating element is detected by a magnetic-field detecting element arranged on... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070238923 - Endoscope integrity tester including context-sensitive compensation and methods of context-sensitive integrity testing: Computer systems and software for controlling an endoscope integrity tester. The pressurization and humidity measurement and calculations, and the resulting determination of passage or failure is automated and controlled to eliminate concerns of human error in the detection process. Further, the computer system is capable of adapting its calculations to... Agent: Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, Lc Attn: BoxIPDept.

20070238924 - Robotic medical instrument system: A method of performing a medical procedure on a patient comprises introducing a medical instrument into a patient (e.g., percutaneously), conveying control signals from a remote controller to a drive unit, and operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals to actuate the tool located on the medical... Agent: VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20070238925 - Surgical instrument coupling mechanism: A medical system and surgical instrument adapter are provided. The medical system comprises a surgical instrument carrying a distal tool configured for performing a medical procedure on a patient, an adapter having a clam-shell configuration configured for removably receiving a proximal end of the surgical instrument, and a drive unit... Agent: VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20070238926 - Selectively rotatable shaft coupler: In one aspect, the present invention is a system for rotatably coupling a shaft to a housing. The system includes a selectively rotatable shaft coupler that connects a shaft to a housing that allows a limited amount of shaft rotation, but which sets a restriction on the maximum amount of... Agent: Klarquist Sparkman, LLP One World Trade Center

20070238927 - Power driven bending endoscope with detachable insertion portion: A power driven bending endoscope with detachable insertion portion 2 is formed of an insertion body 3 having a flexible bending portion 3B, and a motor unit 4 having an electric motor 23 for driving to bend the bending portion 3B and a potentiometer 26 for detecting a bending state... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070238928 - Biopsy port for easy device passage: A medical device includes a handle and a shaft having a working channel. A biopsy port at the exterior of the handle provides a path for instruments leading to the working channel. A conduit that runs through the handle for supplying fluids is also provided a path to the working... Agent: Christensen, O'connor, Johnson, Kindness, PLLC

20070238929 - Versatile control system for supplying fluid medium to endoscope: The present invention relates generally to the field of endoscopy and specifically to endoscopic apparatus used for endoscopic procedures during which a flexible tube is inserted into the rectum and colon for examination of the colon interior for abnormalities. More particularly, the present invention refers to a control system for... Agent: Bruce E. Lilling Lilling & Lilling PLLC

20070238930 - Endoscope tips, scanned beam endoscopes using same, and methods of use: Apparatuses and methods for scanned beam endoscopes, endoscope tips, and scanned beam imagers are disclosed. In one aspect, a scanned beam endoscope includes at least one light detection element that collects light reflected from a FOV through one or more openings in the scanner of the endoscope. In another aspect,... Agent: Michael G. Pate, Esq. Dorsey & Whitney LLP

20070238931 - Medical videoscope with a pivotably adjustable end part: A medical endoscope including a stem (1) receiving in its distal end part (3) a video camera (30), the end part (3) being pivotably adjustable relative to the main part (2) of the stem (1) and connecting lines (27, 31) running in the stem (1) from a proximal end region... Agent: Rankin, Hill, Porter & Clark LLP

20070238932 - Surgical retractor and retractor assembly: Retractor for insertion in an incision of a patient includes a frame defining a central opening and a reference plane, and at least one blade disposed within the central opening The blade operatively coupled to the frame by a support structure for movement in a first direction generally laterally with... Agent: Robert Deberardine Abbott Laboratories

20070238933 - Posterior approach retractor ring and attachments system: The present invention provides an open looped (open-ended) retractor frame for use in surgical procedures. The open-ended retractor frame of the present invention is particularly useful in infracoccygeal sacropexy or posterior intravaginal slingplasty procedures. The present invention furthermore provides a variety of clip-on attachments to the open-ended retractor frame that... Agent: Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

20070238936 - Portable electronic medical assistant: A handheld device used to assist a user in performing daily activities and in being socially active. The device can also be used to assist in monitoring dietary, medication, and supplement intakes, pain and stress levels, vitals, exercise, sleep quality, and other aspects of better living. The device can be... Agent: Ip Strategies

20070238934 - Dynamically responsive mood sensing environments: Physiological readings, such as heart rate, breathing rate, pulse, blood pressure, electrical conductivity across skin surface(s), electrical or magnetic activity of various regions of the brain, body temperature, voice patterns, voice stress, blood chemistry, locomotion (walking, running, etc.) characteristics, eating patterns, personal movement, etc. may be monitored for one or... Agent: Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, P.C.

20070238935 - Method and system for selecting a mattress: A method and system is provided for diagnosing a subject's desired level of support and comfort. In accordance with the method, a diagnostic mattress with an adjustable support structure is provided. A subject is positioned on the diagnostic mattress. The adjustable support structure of the diagnostic mattress is adjusted in... Agent: Thompson Coburn, LLP

20070238938 - Activity-induced energy expenditure estimating instrument: An activity-induced energy expenditure estimating instrument is provided which is capable of estimating an activity-induced energy expenditure with ease and high accuracy. The activity-induced energy expenditure estimating instrument comprises: body activity information measuring means, body specifying information acquiring means, body composition information acquiring means, and activity-induced energy expenditure computing means,... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20070238937 - System and method for controlling a tilt table: A system and method for controlling a tilt table employs a physiological sensing module to sense the physiological status of a person lying on the tilt table and to generate at least one physiological signal. Also, the above-mentioned system and method employs a tilt table control module to receive the... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20070238939 - System and method for monitoring or treating nervous system disorders: A method of comparing cardiac and neurological event detection signals to indicate whether the cardiac event detection signal may facilitate detection of neurological events. The method includes obtaining a signal indicating detected neurological events, obtaining a signal indicating detected cardiac events, analyzing the timing relationships between the detected neurological and... Agent: Intellectual Property Group Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

20070238940 - Vibrator pill for gastrointestinal disorders: A vibrating pill is disclosed capable of stimulating the gastrointestinal tract to induce gastrointestinal contractions and peristalsis, as well as other functions within the gastrointestinal tract.... Agent: Vierra Magen Marcus & Deniro LLP

20070238941 - Methods and devices for evaluating skin: Provided are methods and devices for evaluating skin by introducing a fluid comprising water to the skin; measuring at least one skin barrier property that correlates to the water content of the skin over time, the measuring step comprising taking at least one measurement of the skin barrier property in... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070238942 - Apparatus and method for detecting gastroesophageal reflux disease (gerd): A method and an apparatus are disclosed for detecting gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the esophagus of a patient. A capsule with pH-sensitive dissolving properties is placed in the lower portion of the esophagus of the patient. The capsule is removed after a period of time, such as about 24... Agent: Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, LLP

20070238943 - Mounting device for an electrochemical sensor unit: A device for mounting an electrochemical sensor unit to a skin surface of a human being comprises a mounting member having a circumferential wall, an adhesive tape at a lower end of the circumferential wall for adhering the mounting member to the skin surface, and a sealing member. The sealing... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070238944 - Multi-electrode with lateral conductivity control: A medical electrode includes a moderately conductive flexible member having a top side and a bottom side with a connector and contact with a flexible member top side for establishing electrical contact with an external apparatus. An oversize non-conductive flexible sheet covers the conductive flexible member top and the connector... Agent: Walter A. Hackler, Ph.d. Patent Law Office

20070238945 - Electrode headset: An electrode headset and electrodes that can be mounted therein are described. The electrode headset can be formed from substantially rigid components including some flexibility to snugly embrace a variety of head shapes and sizes, while providing reliable positioning of electrodes according to an electrode placement scheme on a subject's... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070238960 - Medical visualization method, combined display/input device, and computer program product: In a medical visualization method, wherein: a series of organ slice images are acquired at different points in time by an imaging modality; the acquired organ slice images are stored in an image data memory with information about the series and/or the point in time of the acquisition. A data... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070238968 - Method and apparatus for providing low dose dual energy for pet attenuation correction: The apparatus and method include performing a medical image scan, including providing a contrast agent, performing a first scan at a first energy level, and performing a second scan at a second energy level, wherein radiation exposure to a patient of the first scan and the second is comparable to... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070238959 - Method and device for visualizing 3d objects: The present invention relates to a method and a device for visualizing three dimensional objects, in particular in real time. A three dimensional image data set of the object is created and registered with recorded two dimensional transillumination images of the object. For visualization purposes the edges of the object... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070238964 - Method for providing information of a locally resolved reconstruction quality of a target volume in a three-dimensional reconstruction volume presentation: The invention relates to a method and a device for locally-resolved visualization of the reconstruction quality, especially of the coverage of a target volume to be recorded as an image and reproduced in a three-dimensional reconstruction volume presentation, especially in the human body, by two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional images covering subareas... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070238967 - Overall medical system: To ensure a flexible and patient-friendly examination by means of an overall medical system having at least one medical examination or treatment facility, having a control facility and an assigned medical injection system, provision is made for the injection system to be able to be coupled to the overall system... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070238955 - Systems and methods for generating data using one or more endoscopic microscopy techniques: Exemplary systems and methods for imaging at least one portion of a sample can be provided. For example, according to one exemplary embodiment of such systems and methods, it is possible to receive at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from the sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from... Agent: Dorsey & Whitney LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070238951 - Systems, methods and apparatus for oncology workflow integration: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments an integrated oncology diagnostic workflow system supports both multi-phase and multi-modality image acquisition and processing.... Agent: Ramirez & Smith

20070238962 - Transfer of treatment planning information using standard image transfer protocols: A system and method for creating, generating, saving and/or exporting medical data is provided. The medical data includes image data, and the medical data conforms to an external standard, wherein additional data, not part of the external standard, is added to the image data. The additional data may be added... Agent: Don W. Bulson (brainlab)

20070238953 - Combined ultrasonic imaging and spectroscopic molecular analysis: The invention provides an apparatus for combined imaging and analyzing of a biological structure by means of ultrasonic and spectroscopic techniques. The inventive diagnostic apparatus is adapted for simultaneous acquisition of ultrasonic echo signals and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic signals. The invention makes particular use of a contrast agent that... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070238957 - Combined x-ray and optical tomographic imaging system: The invention relates to a combined x-ray and optical (light-based) tomographic imaging system that provides functional information at greater resolution than can be achieved by optical tomography alone. The system is configured with one or more x-ray sources, x-ray detectors, light sources, and light detectors arranged on a gantry which... Agent: Goodwin Procter LLP Patent Administrator

20070238956 - Imaging device and method for operating an imaging device: An imaging device is disclosed for preparing sequential slice images of an object. The device includes a radiation source, a detector, a positioning unit and a control unit for controlling the positioning unit and for evaluating the recorded data of the detector. The control unit is set up for carrying... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070238963 - Medical image diagnostic apparatus, picture archiving communication system server, image reference apparatus, and medical image diagnostic system: A shared object is newly created in a unified format with respect to past medical information that is effective in a photographing step or a report creating step. Since the shared object can include a position determination image, unique object information, body coordinates information, a photographing condition, a image creating... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070238947 - Method and apparatus for determining movement of an object in an imager: A method and apparatus for determining the three-dimensional movement of a patient positioned on a table between an X-ray source and an image receiver of an X-ray imaging apparatus. The apparatus has an X-ray source positioned opposite an image receiver, the X-ray source and the image receiver being driven in... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070238966 - Method and apparatus for elastomammography: A method for obtaining a distribution of a stiffness property in tissue includes applying a plurality of loadings to the tissue, obtaining a plurality of two-dimensional (2-D) imaging projections of the tissue from different directions, measuring a force resulting from one of the plurality of loadings, measuring from at least... Agent: Daniel L. Dawes Myers Dawes Andras & Sherman LLP

20070238965 - Observation method of biological tissue: When an observation target in a membranous tissue such as an amniotic membrane filled with a liquid such as an amniotic fluid is observed, the observation is performed without leaking the liquid. There is provided an observation method of an observation target arranged in a membranous tissue filled with a... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070238954 - Overlay image contrast enhancement: A method of creating an image difference overlay comprises identifying a loop of reference images of a subject and identifying a loop of data images of the subject. The loop of image data can be identified after an event, such as the administration of contrast agent to the subject. A... Agent: Needle & Rosenberg, P.C.

20070238958 - Quantitative optoacoustic tomography with enhanced contrast: Provided herein is an optoacoustic imaging system configured to produce images of one or more objects in a body using at least a maximum angular amplitude probability algorithm to reconstruct the optoacoustic images of the body. In addition the optoacoustic imaging system may be configured to produce 3D maps from... Agent: Benjamin Aaron Adler Adler & Associates

20070238952 - Registering intra-operative image data sets with pre-operative 3d image data sets on the basis of optical surface extraction: The invention relates to a method for registering intra-operative image data set with pre-operative 3D image data set, comprising: spatial calibrating an optical 3D sensor system with an intra-operative imaging modality, intra-operative detecting the surface of an examination area of interest with the 3D sensor system to produce an intra-operative... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070238950 - Separate and combined multi-modality diagnostic imaging system: A multi-modality diagnostic imaging system includes a first imaging subsystem, such as a computed tomographic (CT) system, for performing a first imaging procedure on a subject. The first imaging system has a gantry that slides along rails. A second imaging subsystem, such as a nuclear medicine system (NUC), performs a... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070238946 - Specimen positioning system for imaging machines: An animal holder is provided with a specialized coupling that is releasably mountable to a number of different imaging machines such as X-ray, CAT, MRI and PET machines. Composite images created from combining images from such different machines are particularly clear due to the predetermined alignment of the animal holder... Agent: Lawrence J. Shurupoff

20070238949 - System and method for supporting a patient during medical imaging: A medical imaging system having a patient support apparatus is provided. The medical imaging system includes a framework portion; a first set of at least one panel removably mounted to and supported by the framework portion and for supporting a patient during a first imaging study by the medical imaging... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070238948 - System and method to navigate to a slice image in a patient volume data set based on a-priori knowledge and/or prior medical reports: In a method and system for finding an image slice in a volume data set obtained from a scanner which scans a region of interest of a patient having a medical problem where that medical problem is located within said region of interest, the patient is scanned creating a patient... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070238961 - Universal image registration interface: A reference structure for use with a medical navigation system, includes an imaging structure, and a plurality of artificial markers arranged at predetermined locations on said imaging structure. The artificial markers are detectable by the medical navigation system, wherein the artificial markers have a known relationship to the imaging structure.... Agent: Don W. Bulson (brainlab)

20070238969 - Diffusion-based magnetic resonance methods for characterizing bone structure: A method of in vitro or in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance and/or magnetic resonance imaging, to determine bone properties by measuring the effects of molecular diffusion inside the bone specimen to derive parameters that are related to the structure of the trabecular bones. The method is a non-invasive probe that... Agent: Schlumberger-doll Research Attn: Intellectual Property Law Department

20070238974 - Three-dimensional magnetization prepared mri acquisition with increased acquisition window: A magnetization preparation pulse is followed by acquiring a segment of k-space data during an acquisition window in which a desired tissue contrast is achieved. Views sampling the center of k-space are acquired at peak contrast and peripheral k-space is sampled before and after this optimal contrast time.... Agent: Quarles & Brady LLP

20070238971 - Apparatus and method for two-and three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging using ferromagnetic spheres: Systems and methods for obtaining two- and three-dimensional magnetic resonance images by using azimuthally symmetric dipolar magnetic fields from magnetic spheres. A complete two- or three-dimensional structured rendering of a sample can be obtained without the motion of the sample relative to the sphere. Magnetic spheres in the range of... Agent: Marjama Muldoon Blasiak & Sullivan LLP

20070238970 - Magnetic resonance imaging for interventional procedures: Two different RF-frequency ranges or bands are employed viz. at the localisation RF-frequency and at the imaging RF-frequency, respectively. At these respective RF-frequency ranges different types of magnetic resonance signals are acquired. At the localisation RF-frequency a high sensitivity for the position of the interventional device is achieved. At the... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070238973 - Method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging on the basis of a gradient echo sequence: In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging on the basis of a gradient echo sequence by excitation of nuclear spins and measurement of radio-frequency signals arising from the excited nuclear spins: (a) the magnetization of the spins is prepared by an inversion pulse; (b) a number of steps... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070238972 - Method for generating mr (magnetic resonance) images of a moving partial area of an object: A method for generating MR (magnetic resonance) images of a moving partial area of an object with a repeating motion sequence over comparable motion states, wherein an MR data set, which is encoded for generating an individual MR image of the object, is provided for each motion state from a... Agent: Kohler Schmid Moebus

20070238978 - Biopsy and sampling needle antennas for magnetic resonance imaging-guided biopsies: Herein is disclosed a magnetic resonance imaging antenna, including an inner conductor, an outer shield slideably displaceable with respect to the inner conductor, and an insulator electrically insulating the inner conductor from the outer shield. Herein is disclosed a biopsy needle antenna, including a magnetic resonance imaging antenna, having an... Agent: Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec

20070238976 - Magnetic resonance imaging system and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus: A magnetic resonance imaging system which measures the temperature of a morbid region to be heated in thermotherapy controls an scan unit to execute imaging operation in synchronism with heating by a heating device, and generates measurement temperature data on the basis of the phase change of magnetic resonance signals... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070238975 - Medical device sensing and detection during mri: Sensing and detection means of a medical device includes sensing for an MRI gradient magnetic field and responding to the detected gradient magnetic field by switching from a first electrical signal processing mode to a second electrical signal processing mode, such that electrical signals induced by the gradient magnetic field... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070238977 - Method and apparatus for treatment of discogenic pain: A method of treating discogenic back pain in a patient includes the steps of acquiring an image of at least a portion of the patient's spine, locating the spinal disc causing the back pain, and identifying a treatment volume encompassing at least a portion of the spinal disc. The method... Agent: Foley & Lardner LLP

20070238979 - Reference devices for placement in heart structures for visualization during heart valve procedures: Visualization reference devices to aid in non-direct visualization of heart structure. The devices are positionable in the heat structure and visible with a desired imaging modality. The devices being elastically transformable between delivery configurations and deployment configurations. The devices being used to assist a clinician in mapping the heart structure... Agent: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.IPLegal Department

20070238988 - Body insertable system, receiving apparatus, and body insertable apparatus: A receiving apparatus 3 which is an element of a body insertable system is configured with a receiving unit 6 including receiving antennas 8a to 8d and a reception processing device 9, and a position detecting unit 7 including transmitting antennas 10a to 10d, a first linear magnetic field generator... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070238980 - Conformal coil array for a medical tracking system: Described herein are one or more implementations for reducing the effects of distortion caused by the distorters in medical image-capture components used in medical electromagnetic tracking system. Examples of a medical image-capture component include an X-ray image detector used in fluoroscopic image-guided medical procedures and a surgical microscope. With one... Agent: Peter Vogel Ge Healthcare

20070238983 - Fiduciary markers and method of use thereof: The invention provides devices and methods used to locate target areas within a patient for repeat therapeutic treatments. In the invention, fiduciary markers made of metal or metal alloys are placed within a patient near or at a target site as reference coordinates for particular body locations on the patient.... Agent: Best Medical International, Inc. Attn: Ray

20070238984 - Implant, device and method for determining a position of the implant in a body: the invention relates to an implant, a method and a device for determining the position of the implant. To improve the accuracy of determining the position it is proposed to provide a transponder on the implant suitable for determining the position.... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070238986 - Medical apparatus with image acquisition device and position determination device combined in the medical apparatus: In a medical apparatus for implementation of operative procedures on a patient, an image acquisition device and a position determination device combined and permanently associated in the medical apparatus. The position determination device serves for determination of the position of at least one medical instrument within an operation region.... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070238981 - Methods and apparatuses for recording and reviewing surgical navigation processes: Methods and apparatuses to record and review a navigation process of image guided surgery. One embodiment includes recording a sequence of positional data to represent a position or position and orientation of a navigation instrument relative to a patient during a surgical navigation process. Another embodiment includes: tracking positions and... Agent: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (sv)IPDocketing

20070238987 - Position detecting apparatus: A position detecting apparatus includes a linear magnetic-field generator that generates a linear magnetic field in an area inside the subject; a diffuse magnetic-field generator that generates a diffuse magnetic field having position dependency on magnetic field direction in the area; a magnetic-field line orientation database in which a correspondence... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070238982 - System and method for monitoring kinematic motion of a patient: A system, apparatus, and method for monitoring kinematic motion of a patient includes a patient exercise machine, an array of directional antennas coupled to a frame of the patient exercise machine, and a controller. The array of directional antennas includes a number of coplanar directional antennas and one or more... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20070238985 - System utilizing radio frequency signals for tracking and improving navigation of slender instruments during insertion in the body: The present invention concerns a system for utilizing radio frequency signals to dynamically determine the location of a medical device throughout a procedure and to improve navigation of the medical device. For these purposes, a plurality of RF receivers are mounted at operative locations in the operating room and operate... Agent: Welsh & Katz, Ltd.

20070238990 - Control method as well as an imaging appliance: A control method is specified for an imaging appliance, wherein a stored scan protocol in which operating parameters of the imaging appliance for image recording are stored, or a stored contrast agent protocol, in which parameters of contrast agent dosage are stored, is selected from a databank, contrast agent and... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070238989 - Systems and methods for managing information relating to medical fluids and containers therefor: The present invention relates to management of information relating to medical fluids, containers therefor, and medical fluid administration devices for administering such medical fluids to patients. Data tags (e.g., RFID tags) are generally associated with containers of the invention and may be electromagnetically read from and/or written to using an... Agent: Wood, Herron & Evans, LLP

20070238999 - Method and apparatus to visualize the coronary arteries using ultrasound: A non-invasive screening technique for visualizing coronary arteries which overcomes the problems of visualizing the curved arteries by projecting the three dimensional volume of the arteries onto a two dimensional screen. Blood filled areas, and in particular, the coronary arteries and veins, are highlighted to contrast them with other nearby... Agent: Stainbrook & Stainbrook, LLP

20070239005 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, ultrasonic diagnostic method, and imaging processing program for ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus: In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, a line-of-sight position data obtaining unit obtains current line-of-sight position data of the operator from a line-of-sight position input unit, a setting condition change unit changes an area that is set on the basis of the line-of-sight position data. Also,... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070239006 - Ultrasonic imaging apparatus and ultrasonic low attenuation medium: The ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprises an ultrasonic probe, a detecting part, a position analyzing part, a display control part, a display part, and a storage part. The detecting part is mounted on the ultrasonic probe operable to detect a part of a prescribed pattern formed on an ultrasonic low attenuation... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070239004 - Apparatus and method for indicating locus of an ultrasonic probe, ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method: An apparatus and method for indicating locus of an ultrasonic probe configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves toward a part of a subject wherein a position or movement of the ultrasonic probe is detected, and a locus of the ultrasonic probe on an image of the part of the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070239003 - Apparatus and methods for acoustic diagnosis: The apparatus and methods disclosed herein relate to diagnosis of disease through the detection of signals from portions of a body. The signals may be acoustic signals, which can be used to diagnose the presence, severity and/or location of occlusions in arteries, such as the coronary arteries. The signals may... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070239001 - High frequency array ultrasound system: A system for acquiring an ultrasound signal comprises a signal processing unit adapted for acquiring a received ultrasound signal from an ultrasound transducer having a plurality of elements. The system is adapted to receive ultrasound signals having a frequency of at least 20 megahertz (MHz) with a transducer having a... Agent: Needle & Rosenberg, P.C.

20070238992 - Implantable sensor: An implantable sensor for detecting changes in tissue density is disclosed. The implantable sensor includes a transducer adapted for detecting indicators of tissue density. The implantable sensor includes memory for storing data corresponding to the tissue density indicators detected by the sensor. A telemetry circuit is configured for transmitting the... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20070238995 - Medical diagnostic ultrasound system with peripheral sensors or data: Medical diagnostic ultrasound integrates with peripheral sensors or data. An ultrasound system includes connectors or inputs for receiving information from other types of sensors, such as blood pressure, tonometry, central aortic pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, or other vascular characteristic sensors. An algorithm, such as stored on a computer readable media... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070238994 - Methods and apparatus for coupling a hifu transducer to a skin surface: Methods and apparatus are described for coupling a high intensity focused ultrasound transducer to a skin surface using water as a coupling agent.... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew LLP Liposonix, Inc.

20070238996 - Portable ultrasonic device and method for diagnosis of dental caries: Provided is an apparatus and method for the detection of dental caries. The apparatus generates longitudinal ultrasound waves that may be applied to any accessible surface of a tooth. The reflected ultrasound pulse echoes are collected and correlated with the incident pulse. The ultrasound pulse echoes from the front and... Agent: The Farrell Law Firm, P.C.

20070239002 - Superfast, high-resolution ultrasonic imaging using coded excitation: An ultrasound imaging scanner has a transducer having a number N of transducer elements. Distinct transducer elements are excited with distinct signals, which can be uniquely coded signal pulses or distinct chirps. The combined echo signal received at a particular transducer is correlated with the excitation signal applied to the... Agent: Baker Botts L.L.P.

20070238993 - System and method for ultrasonic detection and imaging: Systems and Methods are disclosed for the detection and imaging of ultrasonic energy. Embodiments of the invention utilize an array of ultrasonic sensors where data from each of the sensors are processed by RMS-to-DC conversion. In addition, embodiments of the invention output a contour map based on detected ultrasonic energy... Agent: Caterpillar/finnegan, Henderson, L.L.P.

20070239000 - Systems and methods for ultrasound applicator station keeping: Systems and methods for maintaining the alignment of a therapeutic ultrasound applicator to a target site are described. Overlapping ultrasound signals are sent to a target tissue site and the echo detected. An algorithm is described for detecting tissue movement relative to the applicator based on comparison of the echo... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070239009 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic observation unit that forms an ultrasonic tomographic image based on an ultrasonic signal obtained by transmission/reception of the ultrasonic wave to/from inside of the living body, a position orientation calculation unit that detects the position and/or the orientation of the ultrasonic tomographic image,... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070238997 - Ultrasound and fluorescence imaging: Medical diagnostic imaging uses ultrasound and light information. Data from both types of imaging are combined, and an image is generated as a function of the combined data. Both types of data are acquired and a three-dimensional representation is generated as a function of one or both types of data.... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20070239008 - Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and method for displaying ultrasound image: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including a transmitting and receiving unit configured to transmit and receive ultrasound waves and from a plurality of planes of a subject by an ultrasonic probe, and an image signal generation unit configured to execute image processing on the basis of received signal from the transmitting... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070238991 - Ultrasound method and apparatus for characterizing and identifying biological tissues: A method and apparatus are disclosed for characterizing and identifying tissues in a given body part using a transmitted ultrasound signal, wherein the method comprises receiving an ultrasound signal in response to the transmission of the transmitted ultrasound signal toward the given body part, computing an attenuation coefficient for the... Agent: Brouillette & Partners

20070239007 - Ultrasound method for enhanced visualization of thermal lesions and other features of biological tissues: Systems and methods for visualizing lesions in tissue are provided. The systems and the system and methods exploit the differential scattering of ultrasound waves by normal and lesioned tissues to image the lesions. Spectrum analysis of the harmonics in diagnostic ultrasound waves that are differentially backscattered from lesioned and normal... Agent: Baker Botts L.L.P.

20070238998 - Volumetric measurement and visual feedback of tissues: Apparatus and methods for assessing tissue characteristics such as the dimensions and volume of an osteolytic lesion are disclosed. The apparatus may utilize ultrasound to provide visual and volumetric feedback related to a lesion or other tissue. Further the apparatus may be utilized to determine whether the lesion has been... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20070239011 - Apparatus for delivering high intensity focused ultrasound energy to a treatment site internal to a patient's body: An apparatus for delivering HIFU energy may include a probe with a plurality of leaves that provide a bowl-shaped HIFU therapy transducer. In once case, pins may slide within grooves in the leaves to deploy the leaves. In another case, spines may be configured to slide in a channel defined... Agent: Christensen, O'connor, Johnson, Kindness, PLLC

20070239012 - Method and system for controlling an examination process that includes medical imaging: In a method and system for controlling an examination process that includes medical imaging, which initially a first examination-relevant item of information is input and, based on this first information, first measures of the examination process are automatically established. A first segment of the examination process is subsequently automatically controlled... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070239010 - Catheters with laterally deployable elements and linear ultrasound arrays: Catheters having laterally deployable elements (e.g., penetrators, needles, probes, electrodes, wires, etc.) and linear imaging arrays useable for imaging of such laterally deployable elements. These catheters are useable to perform or facilitate a wide variety of diagnostic and therapeutic functions, including but not limited to the delivery of drugs and... Agent: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.IPLegal Department

20070239013 - Delay controller for ultrasound receive beamformer: An ultrasound system includes an ultrasound transducer having an array of elements and a beam origin located between two adjacent elements, each of said elements for converting received energy into an echo signal; and a beamformer includes at least one channel having delay circuitry and tracking circuitry for tracking an... Agent: Bachman & Lapointe, P.C.

20070239014 - Blood flow imaging: Blood-flow image display equipment for displaying a CFM image that is not affected by a motion of a tissue in an object area during capturing of images or is affected in a reduced manner. The blood-flow image display equipment has following components: a transmitting controller for controlling transmission triggers of... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070239015 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic diagnostic method: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has a scanning executing unit, a Doppler signal obtaining unit, a storage unit, a removing unit, a blood flow information obtaining unit, and a B-mode image generating unit. The scanning executing unit executes a first scanning that is iteratively performed by a predetermined period so as... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070239016 - Method for enhancing ultrasound visibility of hyperechoic materials: A hydrogel plug is placed under stress during its curing stage, in one embodiment, by application of an externally applied force. The stress may also be induced during or after the dehydration process. The direction of the externally applied force increases the length, width, depth, or radial extent of the... Agent: Smith Hopen, Pa

20070239022 - Transesophageal ultrasound probe with an adaptive bending section: When transesophageal echocardiography is used to obtain a transgastric short axis view of the left ventricle of the heart, the best place to position the transducer is in the fundus of the stomach, aimed up through the left ventricle. The probes disclosed herein facilitate placement of the transducer in the... Agent: Proskauer Rose LLP Patent Department

20070239023 - Transesophageal ultrasound probe with thin and flexible wiring: An ultrasound probe includes a flexible shaft with a channel that runs through the shaft in a proximal-distal direction, and an ultrasound transducer disposed in a housing mounted at the distal end of the shaft. Flexible wiring is disposed within the channel and is configured to carry signals to and... Agent: Proskauer Rose LLP Patent Department

20070239021 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic diagnostic processing method: A generating unit generates a polurality of ultrasonic cross-sectional images at a plurality of angles when an ultrasonic wave emitting surface in an ultrasonic probe is rotated. A regenerating unit saves information on the angle of the ultrasonic wave emitting surface when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and rotates the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070239020 - Ultrasonography apparatus: An ultrasonic array probe is fixed to a rotational shaft at a predetermined angle, and thus a mechanical structure is made simple. An ultrasonic beam is electronically controlled so that an ultrasonic transmission/reception direction may become substantially perpendicular to the surface of the mamma. Thereby, data on the entire mamma... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070239024 - High resolution intravascular ultrasound transducer assembly having a flexible substrate: An ultrasound transducer assembly of the present invention includes a flexible circuit to which an ultrasound transducer array and integrated circuitry are attached during fabrication of the ultrasound transducer assembly. The flexible circuit comprises a flexible substrate to which the integrated circuitry and transducer elements are attached while the flexible... Agent: Leydig Voit & Mayer, Ltd

20070239025 - Medical ultrasound system and handpiece and methods for making and tuning: Several embodiments of medical ultrasound handpieces are described each including a medical ultrasound transducer assembly. An embodiment of a medical ultrasound system is described, wherein the medical ultrasound system includes a medical ultrasound handpiece having a medical ultrasound transducer assembly and includes an ultrasonically-vibratable medical-treatment instrument which is attachable to... Agent: Thompson Hine L.L.P. Intellectual Property Group

20070239019 - Portable ultrasonic imaging probe than connects directly to a host computer: A portable ultrasonic imaging probe is adapted to connect to a host computer via a passive interface cable, e.g., a standard USB 2.0 peripheral interface cable or a standard IEEE 1394 “Firewire” peripheral interface cable. In accordance with an embodiment, the portable ultrasound imaging probe includes a probe head, a... Agent: Fliesler Meyer LLP

20070239018 - Thin-film ultrasonic probe: An ultrasonic probe for examining an item. The probe includes a body having a contact surface adapted for contacting the item when being examined and an ultrasonic transducer attached to the body and spaced from the contact surface. The probe further includes a spacer positioned in the body between the... Agent: Lee & Hayes, PLLC

20070239017 - Ultrasound probes with improved electrical isolation: Ultrasound probe (10) with improved electrical isolation including a housing (12), a sensor assembly (16) arranged in the housing (12) and including electrically conductive parts (22) which transmit, receive and process waves and an acoustic matching layer (34, 44) arranged in the housing (12) to electrically isolate the electrically conductive... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070239026 - Controlling a medical navigation software using a click signal: A method for controlling a computer-assisted, medical navigation system that provides assistance for a particular part of a treatment, includes using an acoustic mechanism to generate a click signal; and the medical navigation system providing treatment assistance based on the click signal.... Agent: Don W. Bulson (brainlab)

20070239027 - Therapeutic ultrasound system: An ultrasound system has a catheter including an elongate flexible catheter body having at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. An ultrasound transmission wire extends longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body, and has a proximal region, a distal region, and an intermediate region between the proximal region and... Agent: Raymond Sun

20070239029 - Ultrasonic operating apparatus: An ultrasonic operating apparatus having an ultrasonic oscillator to generate ultrasonic oscillation, an oscillation transmitting member for transmitting ultrasonic oscillation, which has a proximal end connected to the ultrasonic oscillator, a jaw which grasps a living tissue in a clearance to the distal end of the oscillation transmitting member, a... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070239028 - Ultrasonic surgical system and method: An ultrasonic surgical system has an ultrasonic unit including an instrument operatively connected to an ultrasonic generator, wherein the instrument has an ultrasonic end effector on the distal end of a shaft. The system further includes a positioning unit including a movable arm adapted for releasably holding the instrument, whereby... Agent: Mark P. Levy

20070239030 - Immersion bag system for use with an ultrasound probe: An immersion bag system for use with an ultrasound probe to overcome near field artifact includes a flexible thin wall thickness immersion bag with an attached flexible collar having an integral internal seal. The immersion bag contains a gel or other ultrasound transmission medium and is sealingly and removably attached... Agent: Hugh D Jaeger, P.A.

20070239031 - Systems and methods for performing simultaneous tomography and spectroscopy: Systems and method for performing simultaneous optical coherence tomography and spectroscopy. In one embodiment, a system includes a light source that emits light to be delivered to a material under evaluation, and a receiver that collects both light that is backscattered by features of the material and fluorescent light that... Agent: Thomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, LLP

20070239035 - Wavelength tunable laser and optical tomography system using the wavelength tunable laser: An external resonator type wavelength tunable laser has a laser medium, a dispersion system which spatially disperses light emitted from the laser medium by wavelength, and a wavelength selecting system having a reflecting surface which selectively reflects a part of the light which is reflected by the reflecting surface as... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070239033 - Arrangement, method and computer-accessible medium for identifying characteristics of at least a portion of a blood vessel contained within a tissue using spectral domain low coherence interferometry: An apparatus, method and computer-accessible medium for identifying characteristics of at least a portion of a blood vessel contained within a tissue can be provided. For example, it is possible to utilize a radiation source configured to provide a radiation to the tissue. In addition, a probe can be provided... Agent: Dorsey & Whitney LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070239036 - Method for reconstructing a fluorescence-enhanced optic tomography image of an object with any outline: The method enables a heterogeneous object containing fluorophores to be examined. A first face of the object is illuminated with an excitation light exciting the fluorophores. The light emitted by a second face of the object, opposite the first face, is detected by means of a matrix of detectors. The... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070239034 - Optical scanning device: An optical scanning device is provided. The optical scanning device an excitation light source that is operable to illuminate the object to be scanned. An image detector is operable to detect excited emission rays through illumination of the object to be scanned by the excitation light source and imaging optics... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20070239032 - Rotating catheter probe using a light-drive apparatus: The invention is a rotating tip catheter-imaging probe where electromagnetic energy is delivered to the distal end of a catheter and converted to mechanical energy using a light drive apparatus. The mechanical energy is then used to rotate a mirror that redirects light in fixed pattern on a sample. The... Agent: Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP Intellectual Property Section

20070239037 - Interventricular delay as a prognostic marker for reverse remodeling outcome from cardiac resynchronization therapy: In heart failure (HF) patients diagnosed according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) rating scale as either Class III or Class IV, with QRS duration ≧120 ms, left ventricular (LV) EF≦35% (when in sinus rhythm), cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) can predict sustained improvement in at least LV structure and... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239039 - Method and apparatus for measuring blood pressures by using blood oxygen concentration and electrocardiography: The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for measuring blood pressures by using blood oxygen concentration and electrocardiography, and the method uses a blood oxygen concentration analyzer to measure a continuous change of waveforms of a blood oxygen cycle during a cardio arterial pulse and an electrocardiography to... Agent: Bacon & Thomas, PLLC

20070239038 - Method and apparatus for monitoring heat stress: A method and apparatus for monitoring heat stress, wherein the apparatus may include a skin surface temperature probe and heart rate probe that do not require direct physical contact to a user's skin. The method includes the steps of: measuring a plurality of physiological parameters including at least heart rate... Agent: Motorola, Inc.

20070239040 - Electronic blood pressure monitor: An electronic blood pressure monitor includes an activation controller for exerting control in response to a signal representative of an instruction received from a user to selectively activate a plurality of functions included in first and second function groups of the electronic blood pressure monitor. The first function group includes... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070239041 - Non-invasive venous pressure measurement: Apparatus and methods for non-invasive measurement of a subject's venous pressure, and particularly the subject's central venous pressure (CVP). The apparatus comprises a probe with a load cell. The method makes use of a non-invasive medical device or technique, such as an ultrasound system, to visualize the internal jugular (IJ)... Agent: Patentbest

20070239042 - Electric-powered air release valve and blood pressure gauge: The electric-powered air release valve comprises a nozzle provided to an end part of an air channel in a bobbin; a fixed iron core that is disposed in the bobbin and aligned with the nozzle; an excitation coil for magnetizing the fixed iron core when electrical power is applied: a... Agent: Venable LLP

20070239043 - Method and apparatus for arrhythmia episode classification: Apparatus and methods are provided for analyzing an episode stored by an implantable medical device (IMD) using prior probability and conditional probability information to determine the likelihood of a particular diagnosis for a given stored episode. Certain embodiments include retrieving information about a stored episode from an IMD, including an... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239044 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a medical device: A method of detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes forming a first sensing vector and a second sensing vector, determining whether the first sensing vector and the second sensing vector is corrupted by noise, and determining, in response... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239045 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a medical device: A method of detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing a cardiac signal from a plurality of electrodes, determining amplitudes of the sensed cardiac signal during a predetermined sensing window, determining a noise to signal ratio corresponding to the determined amplitudes, and determining the sensed cardiac... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239046 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a medical device: A method of detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes forming a first sensing vector and a second sensing vector, and determining whether the sensing of cardiac signals along the first sensing vector and along the second sensing vector... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239047 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a medical device: A method of detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes determining a first characteristic in response to cardiac signals sensed along a first sensing vector over a predetermined sensing window and in response to cardiac signals sensed along a second sensing vector over the predetermined sensing window,... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239048 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a medical device: A method of detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes forming a first sensing vector and a second sensing vector, determining inflections of the sensed cardiac signals, generating a pulse amplitude threshold in response to the determined inflections, and... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239049 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a medical device: A method of detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes forming a first sensing vector and a second sensing vector, determining inflections of the sensed cardiac signals, generating a pulse amplitude threshold in response to the determined inflections, determining... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239050 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a medical device: A method of detecting a cardiac event that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes, determining rates of change of the sensed cardiac signals, and determining a range of the sensed cardiac signals. The sensed cardiac signals are detected as being associated with the cardiac event in response... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239051 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a medical device: A method of detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes forming a first sensing vector and a second sensing vector, determining whether a signal energy content metric of the sensed cardiac signals is within predetermined limits, determining whether a... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239052 - Method and apparatus for verifying a determined cardiac event in a medical device based on detected variation in hemodynamic status: A method and apparatus for verifying a determined cardiac event in a medical device based on detected variation in hemodynamic status that includes a physiologic sensor sensing physiologic signals to generate a plurality of variation index samples corresponding to the sensed signals, and a microprocessor computing a variation index trend... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239053 - Method and apparatus for verifying a determined cardiac event in a medical device based on detected variation in hemodynamic status: A method and apparatus for verifying a determined cardiac event in a medical device based on detected variation in hemodynamic status that includes a plurality of sensors sensing cardiac signals, and a physiologic sensor sensing physiologic signals to generate a plurality of variation index samples corresponding to the sensed signals.... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239054 - System and method for monitoring or treating nervous system disorders: An implantable neurostimulator device for implantation in a head of a patient includes a housing adapted to be implanted beneath a patient's scalp, and a cardiac monitoring element, a brain monitoring element, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a cardiac signal from the cardiac monitoring element, identify... Agent: Intellectual Property Group Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

20070239057 - Periodic disordered breathing detection: Systems and methods are directed to evaluating breathing disorders, such as periodic disordered breathing. A signal representative of patient respiration is developed, typically patient-internally. An envelope of the signal is provided. Periodicity of the envelope is detected, and presence and severity of periodic disordered breathing is determined based on the... Agent: Hollingsworth & Funk, LLC

20070239055 - System and method for monitoring periodic breathing associated with heart failure: A system and method for monitoring in a patient includes producing sensor signals representative of a physiologic parameter associated with respiration. A periodic breathing cycle is detected based on the sensor signals. An output is produced as a function of the cycle length.... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070239056 - System and method of predicting efficacy of tongue-base therapies: A method, computer-readable medium, and system for predicting a response to tongue-base therapies (particularly as it relates to obstructive sleep apnea) are provided. The method includes generating with a processing element a plurality of images of at least a portion of a patient's anatomy, acquiring data indicative of the portion... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20070239058 - Spirometer: Pocket-size medical spirometer comprising a housing and a measurement unit (MU), for measuring rate of total flow when a user exhales through the spirometer. The MU comprises a fluidic jet oscillator adapted to generate oscillating flow with frequency dependent on the rate of flow therethrough. The MU is disposed within... Agent: Nath & Associates

20070239059 - Neurophysiology testing system: The neurophysiology testing and monitoring system provides a multifunctional neurological testing system for a variety of neurological tests, such as electroencephalographs (EEGs) and magnetoencephalographs (MEGs), to be performed on a patient. The system includes a housing for receiving at least one neurological measurement system and a conductive gel supply. A... Agent: Litman Law Offices, Ltd.

20070239060 - System and method for regulating cardiac triggered therapy to the brain: A medical device system includes a housing, a therapy module and a processor at least partially supported by the housing, and a cardiac monitoring element coupled to the processor, the cardiac monitoring element comprising a stub sensor. The processor is configured to activate the therapy module upon detection of a... Agent: Intellectual Property Group Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

20070239061 - Systems and methods for providing multi-variable measurement diagnostic: The present invention relates to accurately measuring electrical readings. One embodiment of the present invention includes a method for measuring the electrical readings, recording the electrical readings to produce a relationship, correlating the relationship to a plurality of known mistakes, and then generating an accuracy level. The relationship may be... Agent: Kirton And Mcconkie

20070239062 - Method and apparatus for obtaining quantitative temperature measurements in prostate and other tissue undergoing thermal therapy treatment: The invention provides a method and apparatus for monitoring a thermal effect of a conformal thermal treatment to diseased tissue in a target volume. The method includes acquiring a reference image of the volume containing the diseased tissue at a first position of the device, determining a baseline temperature distribution... Agent: Pepper Hamilton LLP

20070239063 - Portable electroretinograph with automated, flexible software: The present invention relates to electroretinography (ERG) units and related methods of use. In particular, the present invention relates to electroretinography units used, for example, for evaluating the retinal function of a subject. The ERG unit of the present invention is portable and contains a compact flash card for flexible... Agent: Medlen & Carroll, LLP

20070239064 - Device for minimally invasive internal tissue removal: A medical device for severing and removing small amounts of internal tissue for biopsy sampling or other purposes is disclosed. Versions of the device may include a hollow probe having a tissue receiving aperture; a cutter having a cutting edge that moves past the tissue receiving aperture, and a cutter... Agent: Frost Brown Todd, LLC

20070239066 - Devices and methods for tissue transplant and regeneration: Devices and methods for transplanting tissue for the purpose of regeneration, for treating a patient having injured myocardial tissue, and/or for improving cardiac function through cell regrowth. More specifically, the devices and methods obviate the need for cellular alteration. The devices comprise a hollow tube with a sharp distal end,... Agent: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP

20070239065 - Single use biopsy device and method: A single use biopsy device (100) is disclosed. The device (100) includes a receptacle (102) having a port (104) for allowing tissue from a biopsy site to protrude into the receptacle (102) and a cutter (106) that is supported in the receptacle (102) and arranged so that when tissue from... Agent: William J. Sapone Coleman Sudol Sapone P.C.

20070239067 - Tissue sample revolver drum biopsy device: A biopsy device and method are provided for obtaining a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample. The biopsy device includes a disposable probe assembly with an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, and a cutter tube that rotates and translates past a side... Agent: Frost Brown Todd, LLC

20070239068 - Control solution packets and methods for calibrating bodily fluid sampling devices: A control solution packet for calibrating a bodily fluid sampling device includes a container, a control solution pressurized within the container, and a membrane for covering and sealing the container. The control solution can be pressurized before or during calibration so as to ensure the appropriate amount of control solution... Agent: Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, Mcnett & Henry LLP

20070239069 - Integrated screening and confirmation device: The present invention provides a fluid collection and drug testing device that includes a fluid collector, to collect a fluid sample, and a housing to test and retain the fluid sample. The housing includes a collection chamber, having an open end to receive the fluid collector, at least one membrane... Agent: Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck, P.C.

20070239070 - Local body fat measurement device and method of operating the same: A method of operating a local body fat measurement device including: measuring a body fat thickness of the at least one predetermined measurement point of the predetermined anatomical area; displaying a measured body fat thickness at each measurement point on a output device; and maintaining a memory device storing a... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070239071 - Training assisting apparatus, training assisting method, and training assisting program: An image suitable to training of mental control is automatically displayed in accordance with change in physical state of an examinee. The training assisting apparatus according to the present invention is a training assisting apparatus for assisting an examinee's mental control by displaying a training image, including: a display section... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070232848 - Hydraulic anal incontinence treatment: An anal incontinence treatment apparatus and method includes and uses an adjustable restriction device implanted in a patient, who suffers from anal incontinence. The restriction device engages the rectum of the patient to restrict the fecal passageway. An adjustment device is adapted to adjust the restriction device such that the... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070232849 - Pericardial inserts: Devices, systems and methods are provided which are capable of applying pressure and constraint to the heart and use the pericardium to assist in the application of the pressure and force to the heart.... Agent: Shay Law Group LLP

20070232850 - Endoscopic ancillary attachment devices: Methods and devices are provided for attaching one or more ancillary devices to an endoscope. The ancillary device can be any device that is used in conjunction with endoscopic procedures, such as, by way of non-limiting example, an accessory channel, tube, or sleeve, an indwelling tube or feeding tube, and... Agent: Nutter Mcclennen & Fish LLP

20070232851 - Body insertable apparatus and body-insertable apparatus system: To provide a capsule endoscope in which a degree of appearance of a sting-like member in a captured image is reduced, a capsule endoscope (2) includes an optical system (18) having a predetermined principal point, an imaging unit (19) which captures light focused by the optical system (18), and an... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070232852 - In-vivo imaging optical device: The invention provides a device for in-vivo imaging, for example, using an in-vivo imaging device including an imager a lens and an illumination source, all positioned behind a single viewing window. The in-vivo imaging device may include an element to block light from reaching a point of reflection on the... Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP

20070232853 - Endoscope insertion assisting device, endoscope apparatus, medical treatment device and endoscope insertion method: The present invention includes a first balloon member having a first hollow portion that allows an insertion portion of the endoscope to pass therethrough; a first transmission member that transmits an advance/retreat action performed by an operator to the first balloon member; a second balloon member having a second hollow... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070232854 - Endoscope inserted-shape detecting apparatus: An endoscope inserted-shape detecting apparatus 8 includes a sense coil unit 23 in which multiple sense coil groups of sense coil groups 23A to 23I for detecting magnetic fields generated by multiple source coils 21 in an inserted-shape detecting probe 6 are placed as a part of the endoscope inserted-shape... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070232856 - Bending endoscope with detachable insertion portion and power driven bending endoscope device with detachable insertion portion: An endoscope 2 includes an insertion body 3 equipped with a potentiometer 26 for detecting a bending state of a bending portion 3B which is allowed to be bent and inserted into a subject and an electric connector 18c for outputting an electric signal as a detection result of the... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070232855 - Robotic medical instrument system: A method of performing a medical procedure on a patient comprises conveying control signals from a remote controller to a drive unit, intraluminally introducing a first medical instrument within the patient, extraluminally introducing a second medical instrument within the patient, and operating the drive unit in accordance with the control... Agent: VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20070232857 - Endoscope: An endoscope according includes a treatment instrument riser which guides a distal end of a treatment instrument projected from a distal end opening provided in a channel for inserting the treatment instrument in an insertion portion to a desired position; a driving mechanism which is rotatably fitted onto an axis... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070232858 - Steering system tension control devices: A steerable shaft of a medical instrument is steered by one or more control cables. The control cables are in contact with a steering system tension control device that reduces the tension in the control cables caused by bends in the shaft.... Agent: Christensen, O'connor, Johnson, Kindness, PLLC

20070232859 - Endoscopic suction device: A device for suctioning material out of an instrument channel during an endoscopic procedure. The device includes a biopsy valve having a first end, a second end, and an outer circumferential surface. The biopsy valve defines an internal passage leading from the first end to the second end, wherein the... Agent: Calfee Halter & Griswold, LLP

20070232861 - Electronic endoscope apparatus and program: An endoscope apparatus used in combination with a near infrared light irradiation unit that irradiates near infrared light on a target irradiation section. White light and the infrared light are irradiated on a target observation area including the target irradiation section. The imaging means spectroscopically images a reflected light image... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070232860 - Endoscope: An endoscope comprises an electric scope and a processor. The electric scope has a CMOS sensor and a video-signal emitting unit that outputs an image signal that is imaged by the CMOS sensor and that is converted to a light signal. The processor has a video-signal photo sensor unit that... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070232862 - Laryngoscope blade: A blade for a laryngoscope having a handle, the blade having an elongated body having a central axis, and having a distal tip symmetric about the central axis; a downwardly convex arcuate central portion including a first flange and a second flange. Each flange has a distal flange tip and... Agent: Lynn E Barber

20070232863 - Body cavity interior observing apparatus: According to a body cavity interior observing apparatus of the present invention, a non-tracked region to be displayed can be switched between a first non-tracked region and a second non-tracked region which is larger than the first non-tracked region, and in a search for an affected area in which it... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070232864 - Tissue retractor, tissue retractor kit and method of use thereof: A tissue retractor for retracting tissue opened by an incision, said tissue retractor including a base support unit having a topside and an underside. The topside comprises at least one securing mechanism and the underside is adapted to be conformable and to be removably attachable to a surface proximate to... Agent: Alexander R Schlee SchleeIPInternational P.C.

20070232865 - Device for temporarily immobilizing tissue in the area of a pulsating blood vessel: A device serves for temporarily immobilizing a tissue in an area of a pulsating blood vessel during a cardiac and thoracic surgical intervention. A pod of the device can be placed onto a tissue beneath a pulsating blood vessel. The pod has a rigid holder supporting a flexible element. The... Agent: St. Onge Steward Johnston & Reens, LLC

20070232869 - Biological information measuring device and biological information measuring system: A biological information measuring system which is capable of measuring biological information simultaneously at a plurality of body sites, and of visually recognizing the biological information in real time at hand. A control device respectively transmits a measurement start signal to each of myoelectric potential measuring devices when a measurement... Agent: Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman & Chick, PC

20070232867 - Process and system for setting a patient monitor: An automated process for setting a patient monitor (1) for detecting vital parameters of the patient measured by patient sensors as a function of the patient's current situation is provided. The process includes performing a statistical analysis from the measured values of the vital parameters in a computing unit for... Agent: Mcglew & Tuttle, PC

20070232866 - Medical patient monitoring and data input systems, methods and user interfaces: Systems, methods, and associated user interfaces for medical patient health monitoring systems are provided. Data entry at a patient system deployed at a patient location is facilitated through a soft keypad graphical element. The soft keypad graphical element defines user input areas of the display which correspond to respective alphanumeric... Agent: Wood, Phillips, Katz, Clark & Mortimer

20070232868 - Method and apparatus for generating a radiologist quality assurance scorecard: The present invention provides a quality assurance system and method that generates a quality assurance (QA) scorecard for radiologists that use digital devices in a radiological-based medical imaging study. According to one embodiment, client computers, servers, imaging devices, databases, and/or other components may be coupled to provided a unified data... Agent: Akerman Senterfitt

20070232870 - Capsule type endoscope: A capsule-type endoscope comprising a capsule body, an image pickup element an illuminating elements, an image signal processing circuit, a memory, an image information transmitting circuit and an antenna for wireless transmission. The capsule body contains the pickup element, the illuminating elements, the processing circuit the memory, transmitting circuit and... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070232871 - Method and system for determining tissue properties: A probe for detecting changes in tissue properties comprising an illumination element providing light to a target area and a sensing element receiving light from the illumination element after reflection from a target portion of tissue in combination with a device that detects changes in a property of the light... Agent: Fay Kaplun & Marcin, LLP

20070232872 - Continuous noninvasive glucose monitoring in diabetic, non-diabetic, and critically ill patients with oct: New optical coherence tomography (OCT) techniques are disclosed which are designed to improve OCT glucose concentration measure accuracy and are capable of being performed on a continuous basis. New multi-wavelength optical coherence tomography (OCT) techniques are also disclosed and designed to reduce artifacts do to water. New optical coherence tomography... Agent: Robert W Strozier, P.l.l.c

20070232873 - Noninvasive, accurate glucose monitoring with oct by using tissue warming and temperature control: A new OCT system and method are disclosed, where the system includes a probe equipped with a heating element and a high heat conductive member to warm a tissue site to be scanned to an elevated and/or to maintain the elevated tissue temperature with a temperature variation of less than... Agent: Robert W Strozier, P.l.l.c

20070232874 - System and method for imaging the reflectance of a substrate: The present application discloses a system and method for the comprehensive monitoring of the microcirculation in order to assess the ultimate efficacy of the cardiovascular system in delivering adequate amounts of oxygen to the organ cells. The system utilizes reflectance avoidance by reflectance filtering, such as OPS imaging or Mainstream... Agent: Grant Anderson LLP C/o Portfolioip

20070232875 - Analyzer and analyzing method: The present invention is to present an analyzer for analyzing a concentration of a predetermined component contained in tissue fluid of a subject, the analyzer being capable of mitigating the pain of the subject. The analyzer comprises: an extraction medium retainer for retaining an extraction medium for holding tissue fluid... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20070232876 - Diabetes management methods and systems: The present invention relates to methods and systems for monitoring the effectiveness of diabetes treatment. Methods and systems in accordance with the present invention provide information relating to variability of glucose levels and hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Such information is based on time-stamped blood glucose data obtained from a meter or... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070232877 - Method and system for powering an electronic device: Methods and apparatuses for providing a power supply to a device are provided.... Agent: Jackson & Co., LLP

20070232878 - Method, system and computer program product for evaluating the accuracy of blood glucose monitoring sensors/devices: Continuous Glucose Error-Grid Analysis (CG-EGA) method, system or computer program product designed for evaluation of continuous glucose sensors providing frequent BG readings. The CG-EGA estimates the precision of such sensors/devices in terms of both BG values and temporal characteristics of BG fluctuation. The CG-EPA may account for, among other things,... Agent: University Of Virginia Patent Foundation

20070232879 - Transcutaneous analyte sensor: The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for transcutaneous measurement of glucose in a host.... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070232880 - System for monitoring physiological characteristics: Apparatuses and methods for medical monitoring physiological characteristic values such as blood glucose levels for the treatment of diabetes, are presented. The apparatuses and methods provide advanced alarm and reminder functions, as well as advanced data presentation tools to further facilitate convenient and efficient management of various physiological conditions. For... Agent: Gates & Cooper LLP Howard Hughes Center

20070232890 - Image diagnostic system and processing method therefor: An image diagnostic system controls a probe to perform radial scanning within a body cavity and to acquire reflected signals through the probe. The system produces data based on the signals, constructs and outputs tomographic images of the body cavity and biotissue surrounding the body cavity. The system includes an... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070232891 - Image diagnostic system and processing method therefor: An image diagnostic system controls a probe to perform radial scanning within a body cavity, to acquire reflected signals through the probe and to produce data based on the signals. The system includes plural storage units for storing the data in line units, respectively, a writing control unit for controlling... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070232892 - Image diagnostic system and processing method therefor: An image diagnostic system controls a probe to perform rotational and axially-moving scanning within a body cavity and to acquire reflected signals through the probe. Based on the acquired reflected signals, the system forms and outputs tomographic image of the body cavity and biotissue surrounding the body cavity. The system... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070232885 - Medical imaging examination review and quality assurance system and method: The present invention is a computer-based review and quality assurance system and method for physicians who use portable imaging technology to diagnose and treat patients at a point of care. The system and method facilitates the credentialing of physicians, provides on-going quality assurance (QA), and integrates medical imaging equipment with... Agent: Triangle Patents, P.l.l.c.

20070232889 - Method for imaging an infarction patient's myocardium and method for supporting a therapeutic intervention on the heart: Two 3D image data records are obtained mutually independently comprising healthy myocardium, myocardium having a reduced blood supply, and the necrotic myocardium. The image data records are combined to produce an overall image data record after registration, and 2D image representations are produced from the overall image data record in... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070232886 - Method for reconstructing a 3d presentation: The invention relates to a method for reconstructing a 3D presentation of a hollow organ based on two-dimensional catheter images, comprising: detecting at least two fluoroscopy images at two different angles of the hollow organ; determining a start position of the catheter from the fluoroscopy images in a three-dimensional model... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070232888 - Method for reducing step artifacts in a cardio ct representation: A method is disclosed for reducing step artifacts in the forward increment direction of a cardio CT representation. In at least one embodiment, volume recordings or section images of first and second sub-volumes of a heart volume, which lie adjacent to one another in the forward increment direction and partially... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070232893 - Probe, image diagnostic system and catheter: A probe which is adapted to repeatedly transmit and receive signals during radial scanning within a body cavity to acquire reflected signals and transmit the reflected signals to an image diagnostic apparatus which, on a basis of the reflected signals, forms and outputs a tomographic image of the body cavity... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070232887 - System and method for checking the status of an in-vivo imaging device: A system and method for monitoring the status of a battery in an in-vivo imaging device, prior to use of the in-vivo imaging device. The device may include a frame counter for counting the number of frames captured and may include monitoring the voltage of the battery. A warning signal... Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP

20070232881 - Method and apparatus for automatically positioning a structure within a field of view: A medical imaging system for automatically positioning a structure of interest within a field of view (FOV) of an imaging detector comprises at least one imaging detector for detecting radiation. The imaging detector has a FOV and detects a first image while at a first system position with respect to... Agent: Dean D. Small The Small Patent Law Group LLP

20070232884 - Method and system for identification of a medical implant: The invention relates to a method and a system for identification of a medical implant that is inserted into a patient. Identification data of the medical implant is stored in an RFID chip. The RFID chip is inserted into the body of the patient. The RFID chip can be inserted... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070232882 - System, methods, and instrumentation for image guided prostate treatment: The invention provides systems, methods, and instrumentation for aiding the performance of an image guided procedure of the anatomy of a patient such as, for example, the prostate. The invention includes a plurality of lumens therein and a balloon portion or other fixating portion. In some embodiments, the catheter includes... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070232883 - Systems and methods for determining plaque vulnerability to rupture: In some embodiments, stress values for a diseased artery are obtained, stress ratios are determined from the obtained stress values, and a flow-structure interaction index is generated based upon the stress ratios as a function of a given plaque characteristic. In further embodiments, a plaque characteristic of a patient is... Agent: Thomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, LLP

20070232894 - Magnetic resonance imaging: A neonate imaging system is provided. The neonate imaging system includes a neonate magnetic resonance imaging system and a mobile neonate incubator system adapted for connection to the neonate magnetic resonance imaging system. The mobile neonate incubator system has an extendable and retractable carriage configured to shuttle the neonate between... Agent: Ramirez & Smith

20070232895 - Method and apparatus for automatically controlling tabletop displacement in magnetic resonance imaging: In a method for operation of a magnetic resonance apparatus having a patient positioning table with a tabletop as well as a control device by which the displacement of the tabletop relative to a homogeneous magnetic field (generated by a magnetic field generation device) and the acquisition of images of... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070232900 - Medical navigation and positioning system containing an operation system and method for operation: For flexible and hygienic operation, a medical navigation and positioning system with an operation system is provided for assignment to a medical imaging device, with the navigation and positioning system featuring a positioning facility, a processing unit and an operating instrument, with the position of the operating instrument being able... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070232899 - Method for localizing an invasive instrument, and an invasive instrument: The invention is based on a new type of method which can be used to localize magnetizable small particles. According to the invention an invasive instrument, a catheter for example, is provided with a magnetizable marker, whereby a magnetic fluid is arranged in a fluid container. Such an invasive instrument... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070232898 - Telescoping catheter with electromagnetic coils for imaging and navigation during cardiac procedures: An image guided navigation system for mapping at least one of the shape, size and location of a structure within a heart of a patient, including a catheter system having a first catheter with a longitudinally extending lumen, a second catheter having a longitudinally extending lumen and positioned at least... Agent: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.IPLegal Department

20070232897 - Method and system for performing coordinate transformation for navigation-guided procedures utilizing an imaging tool and a position-determining system: The invention relates to a method and device for performing coordinate transformation for navigation-guided procedures using an imaging diagnostic tool, especially an X-ray diagnostic tool, and a position-determining system. In the vicinity of the image receiver, the diagnostic tool has one or more three-dimensional reference structure that can be touched... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070232896 - System and method of recording and displaying in context of an image a location of at least one point-of-interest in a body during an intra-body medical procedure: A method of displaying at least one point-of-interest of a body during an intra-body medical procedure. The method is effected by (a) establishing a location of the body; (b) establishing a location of an imaging instrument being for imaging at least a portion of the body; (c) defining at least... Agent: Inskeep Intellectual Property Group, Inc

20070232901 - Method and device for separate three-dimensional presentation of arteries and veins in a part of body: The invention is directed to a method and a device for separate three-dimensional presentation of arteries and/or veins of a vessel system in a part of the body of a vertebrate by a rotation computer tomography. A masking run of the tomograph is undertaken without contrast media around the part... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070232902 - Probe and optical tomography system: An optical fiber is disposed in the direction of axis of the outer envelope inside a tubular outer envelope. Light emitted from the front end of the optical fiber is collected and projected on a body-to-be-scanned disposed externally of the outer envelope, and converged on the body-to-be-scanned. The outer envelope... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070232903 - Registration of computed tomography (ct) and positron emission tomography (pet) image scans with automatic patient motion correction: A method for combined computed tomography (CT) imaging and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging uses respiration-gated CT imaging in which the optimal criteria for CT scan gating are determined after the PET scan has been performed. After acquisition of first CT scan image data and PET scan image data with... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070232904 - Application of hyaluronic acid to sentinel lymph node identification: The present invention provides an accurate, convenient, and safe agent and method for detecting sentinel lymph nodes. The present invention enables the accurate, convenient, and safe detection of sentinel lymph nodes through the use of a mixed component of a coloring component and a hyaluronic acid component.... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070232905 - Unconstrained balloon sizer: The embodiments provide systems and methods for determining at least one parameter of an intervertebral space. The systems and methods may be useful to determine the appropriate size and geometry of a spinal implant. Thus, the systems and methods provided by the embodiments may aid in the selection and implantation... Agent: Hunton & Williams LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070232909 - Ultrasonic characterization of internal body conditions using information theoretic signal receivers: Disclosed herein is a technique for performing medical imaging on a region of interest (ROI) wherein information theoretic signal receivers are used to enhance the detection and monitoring of pathologies such as angiogenesis and muscular dystrophy. Examples of information theoretic signal receivers that can be used in the practice of... Agent: Thompson Coburn LLP Attn: Richard E. Haferkamp

20070232906 - Delay controller for ultrasound receive beamformer: An ultrasound system includes an ultrasound transducer having an array of elements and a beam origin located between two adjacent elements, each of the elements for converting received energy into an echo signal; and a beamformer that includes an initialization controller having initialization controller circuitry for calculating initialization parameters according... Agent: Bachman & Lapointe, P.C.

20070232907 - Methods and systems for configuring ultrasound systems for ultrasound examinations: A method for configuring an ultrasound system for an examination comprises displaying a plurality of examination categories for selection by a user, receiving a user-selected examination category, identifying any probes connected to the ultrasound system, determining which of the connected probes are suitable for the user-selected examination category, for each... Agent: Oyen, Wiggs, Green & Mutala LLP 480 - The Station

20070232908 - Systems and methods to improve clarity in ultrasound images: Systems, methods, and devices for image clarity of ultrasound-based images are described wherein motion sections are compensated with the still sections of the region of interest. Velocity map analysis of regions-of-interest is determined to compensate for instrument motion from motions attributable to structures within the region of interest. Methods include... Agent: Black Lowe & Graham, PLLC

20070232910 - Ultrasonic signal processor for a hand held ultrasonic diagnostic instrument: A hand held ultrasonic instrument is provided in a portable unit which performs both B mode and Doppler imaging. The instrument includes a transducer array mounted in a hand-held enclosure, with an integrated circuit transceiver connected to the elements of the array for the reception of echo signals. A digital... Agent: Fulbright & Jaworski L.l.p

20070232911 - Device for photodetecting tumor: The present invention includes i) an irradiator which irradiates 1st light with wavelength within a photo-absorption band of glucose on organism tissues, ii) an detector which detects reflected light of the 1st light from the organism tissues, iii) an operation unit configured to operate distribution of level of glucose, and... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070232913 - Methods and apparatus for the treatment of menometrorrhagia, endometrial pathology, and cervical neoplasia using high intensity focused ultrasound energy: A probe having a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer is positioned in a female patient. The HIFU transducer is deployed within the vagina of the patient outside of the cervix and uterine cavity and is configured to direct HIFU energy to a treatment site within the uterus of the... Agent: Christensen, O'connor, Johnson, Kindness, PLLC

20070232912 - Non-invasive positioning system for locating the focus of high-intensity focused ultrasound: A non-invasive positioning system for determining the focus location of a HIFU device comprises a diagnostic ultrasound and the HIFU for ablating and removing tumor tissue. The imaging plane of the diagnostic ultrasound probe and the geometrical axis of a probe of the HIFU define an inclining angle during operation.... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070232914 - System and method for adaptive spatial compounding for ultrasound imaging: A method for removing speckle noise from ultrasound images includes providing a plurality of digitized ultrasound (US) images, each image comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a domain of points on a 2-dimensional grid, initializing an initial gain associated with each of said plurality of US images, estimating a... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070232915 - Ultrasonic imaging system having computer coupled to receive and process raw data: An ultrasound machine is configured for developing new modes for obtaining images or other useful information from ultrasound signals. The machine has a data processor configured to control a transmit circuit to generate ultrasound signals. Echo signals are received and digitized to yield RF data that is stored in a... Agent: Oyen, Wiggs, Green & Mutala LLP 480 - The Station

20070232916 - Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus having, to display compression conditions on a display, ultrasonic probe 2, an ultrasonic transmitting/receiving unit for causing the probe 2 to perform transmission and reception of an ultrasonic wave between probe 2 and a subject or a phantom, a signal processing means for processing a signal... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070232917 - Digital beamforming apparatus with a sigma-delta a/d converter: Embodiments of the present invention may provide a digital beamforming apparatus in an ultrasound system having an array transducer, the apparatus comprising: a variable sampling clock generating unit to variably generate sampling clock signals based on reception delay times in ultrasound echo signals arriving at each element of the transducer... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070232918 - Doppler helmet: A helmet manufactured for one specific person, made from rigid synthetic materials, to specifications determined by data obtained from a previously obtained MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan of that person's brain, intra-cranial arteries, and skull. The helmet and its attached adapters hold in place various Doppler probes directed at specific... Agent: Daniel D. Chapman Jackson Walker, LLP

20070232919 - Ultrasonic flow rate measuring device: An ultrasonic flow rate measuring device, especially a clamp-on type, is mounted on a line through which medium flows with at least one ultrasonic transducer and a guide frame for guiding and holding the ultrasonic transducer. A fixing mechanism allows the ultrasonic transducer to be moved onto the line or... Agent: Roberts, Mlotkowski & Hobbes

20070232920 - Medical ultrasound system and handpiece and methods for making and tuning: Several embodiments of medical ultrasound handpieces are described each including a medical ultrasound transducer assembly. An embodiment of a medical ultrasound system is described, wherein the medical ultrasound system includes a medical ultrasound handpiece having a medical ultrasound transducer assembly and includes an ultrasonically-vibratable medical-treatment instrument which is attachable to... Agent: Thompson Hine L.L.P. Intellectual Property Group

20070232925 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and data analysis and measurement apparatus: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a reproducing function at the equally high frame rate to that at the time of ultrasonic imaging and capable of analysis and/or measurement with high accuracy in moving picture observation by reproduction. The apparatus includes: a transmitting and receiving unit for generating RF signals based... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070232924 - Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus: N numbers of ultrasonic transducers are arranged at a tip of an ultrasonic probe. A wire from each transducer is connected to a multiplexer (MUX). The MUX selectively switches M numbers of the ultrasonic transducers to be driven out of the N numbers of the ultrasonic transducers. A short-circuit switch... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070232922 - Ultrasound endoscope: An ultrasound endoscope having an ultrasound transducer mounted on a rigid tip end section at the distal end of an elongated endoscopic insert section, on the front side of a inclined casing wall section in which illumination windows and an optical image pickup assembly are fitted. For protrusion of a... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070232923 - Active thermal management for ultrasound catheter probe: In accordance with the invention, an ultrasound imaging device includes a fluid flow path between a distal end having ultrasound transducers and a proximal end that is electrically coupled to the distal end to enable the exchange of electrical signals. Cooling fluid within the flow path transfers heat generated by... Agent: Law Offices Of Terry Mchugh

20070232926 - Medical ultrasound system and handpiece and methods for making and tuning: Several embodiments of medical ultrasound handpieces are described each including a medical ultrasound transducer assembly. An embodiment of a medical ultrasound system is described, wherein the medical ultrasound system includes a medical ultrasound handpiece having a medical ultrasound transducer assembly and includes an ultrasonically-vibratable medical-treatment instrument which is attachable to... Agent: Thompson Hine L.L.P. Intellectual Property Group

20070232927 - Medical ultrasound system and handpiece and methods for making and tuning: Several embodiments of medical ultrasound handpieces are described each including a medical ultrasound transducer assembly. An embodiment of a medical ultrasound system is described, wherein the medical ultrasound system includes a medical ultrasound handpiece having a medical ultrasound transducer assembly and includes an ultrasonically-vibratable medical-treatment instrument which is attachable to... Agent: Thompson Hine L.L.P. Intellectual Property Group

20070232928 - Medical ultrasound system and handpiece and methods for making and tuning: Several embodiments of medical ultrasound handpieces are described each including a medical ultrasound transducer assembly. An embodiment of a medical ultrasound system is described, wherein the medical ultrasound system includes a medical ultrasound handpiece having a medical ultrasound transducer assembly and includes an ultrasonically-vibratable medical-treatment instrument which is attachable to... Agent: Thompson Hine L.L.P. Intellectual Property Group

20070232921 - Transducer assembly having a wide field of view: A transducer assembly is presented. The transducer assembly includes a cylindrical-shaped transducer array configured to transmit and receive acoustic energy over a three-dimensional volume. Additionally, the transducer assembly includes an acoustically absorbing shell disposed around the transducer array and configured to be rotatable with respect to the transducer array, wherein... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070232929 - Skin detection sensor: A device for detecting the presence of human skin including an illuminator source for providing an IR band capable of being absorbed by skin. A detector receives the IR band after the band has contacted the skin and provides a signal indicating the presence or absence of the IR band... Agent: Kris T. Fredrick Patent Services

20070232931 - Optical tomography system using short-pulse laser for early cancer diagnostics: A method of performing a diagnostic procedure for early cancer detection includes using an ultra-short pulsed laser and measuring time-resolved optical signals to provide information about localization and characterization of tissue inhomogeneities.... Agent: Ip Strategies

20070232930 - Hyperspectral imaging in diabetes and peripheral vascular disease: The invention is directed to methods and systems of hyperspectral and multispectral imaging of medical tissues. In particular, the invention is directed to new devices, tools and processes for the detection and evaluation of diseases and disorders such as, but not limited to diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, that incorporate... Agent: Novak Druce & Quigg, LLP

20070232932 - Monte carlo based model of fluorescence in turbid media and methods and systems for using same to determine intrinsic fluorescence of turbid media: The subject matter described herein includes a method for modeling fluorescence in turbid media and methods and systems for using the model to determine intrinsic fluorescence of turbid media. According to one aspect, a method for modeling fluorescence of a turbid medium and for using the model to determine intrinsic... Agent: Jenkins, Wilson, Taylor & Hunt, P. A.

20070232933 - Component-based catheter lab intravascular ultrasound system: A componentized intravascular ultrasound system is disclosed that flexibly integrates with a catheter lab infrastructure for acquisition and display of intravascular information in a catheter lab enviromnent. The system includes a patient interface module (PIM) adapted to hold a catheter having an imaging probe located near a distal end, a... Agent: Leydig Voit & Mayer, Ltd

20070232934 - Sensorless flow estimation for implanted ventricle assist device: A method of estimating the blood flow rate of a heart ventricle assist device which is positioned externally of, or implanted in, a patient. The assist device comprises a blood pump having a rapidly rotating, electrically powered impeller, and comprises briefly interrupting power to the impeller to cause its rotation... Agent: Cooper & Dunham, LLP

20070232935 - Systems, methods, and devices for health monitoring: A health monitoring system is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the health monitoring system includes a first server configured to receive a first set of information from a monitoring device, wherein the first set of information includes a health condition reading of a subscriber, and wherein the first server is... Agent: Potomac Patent Group PLLC

20070232936 - System for detecting, diagnosing, and treating cardiovascular disease: A method of treating cardiovascular disease in a medical patient is provided. The method includes the steps of generating a sensor signal indicative of a fluid pressure within. the left atrium of the patient's heart, and delivering an electrical stimulus to a location in the heart. The electrical stimulus is... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070232937 - Combined computer mouse and blood pressure sphygmomanometer: A sphygmomanometer cuff assembly, air pump, pressure sensor and release valve are contained in an otherwise conventional computer mouse controller. Various alternative embodiments are illustrated and discussed herein. In one such embodiment the sphygmomanometer cuff is nominally positioned within the mouse structure and is extended outside the mouse housing during... Agent: Leonard Tachner, A Professional Law Corporation

20070232938 - System and method for monitoring pre-eclamptic patients: A system and method for monitoring and estimating the blood pressure of a pregnant patient that modifies the blood pressure estimating algorithm when the patient is pre-eclamptic. The level of carbon monoxide within a patient's bloodstream or exhaled breath can be analyzed to determine whether a pregnant patient is pre-eclamptic.... Agent: Andrus, Sceales, Starke & Sawall, LLP

20070232939 - Blood pressure measuring method and blood pressure manometer: A blood pressure measuring method, according to which a pulse oscillogram of a patient is defined, the blood pressure is then determined from the pulse oscillogram and displayed. Reliable blood pressure values are obtained without additional cost to the user, by obtaining an evaluation criterion for the presence of haemodynamic... Agent: Pauley Petersen & Erickson

20070232940 - Methods and apparatus for non-invasive determination of patient's blood conditions: A method and apparatus are presented for non-invasive determination of blood clotting related and blood circulation related parameters of a mammal. At least one stimulus ST is non-invasively induced in a blood containing medium in the mammal for a preset period of time tST. This at least one stimulus is... Agent: Browdy And Neimark, P.l.l.c. 624 Ninth Street, Nw

20070232942 - Method and apparatus for health and disease management combining patient data monitoring with wireless internet connectivity: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for a wireless health monitoring system for interactively monitoring a disease or health condition of a patient by connecting a mobile phone to or with a digital camera and/or a medical monitoring device. The health related data or visual information from... Agent: Mayer & Williams PC

20070232943 - Method for assessing the contraction synchronization of a heart: A method for assessing the contraction synchronization of a heart of a patient using a set of tridimensional images of the heart, the heart having a contraction cycle, the set of tridimensional images including tridimensional images of the heart acquired at successive phases in the contraction cycle, the heart defining... Agent: Louis Tessier

20070232941 - System, apparatus, and method for imaging and treating tissue: A catheter for treating and imaging tissue within a patient's body includes a distal portion having a tissue grasper in the form of a vacuum recess, with a close-up imaging device positioned adjacent or within the vacuum recess. The close-up imaging device provides imaging signals for imaging the tissue in... Agent: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

20070232946 - Ecg lead misplacement detection and correction: A physiological parameter analysis system (10) detects ECG electrode wire misplacement. The system (10) includes a transformation component (32) that transforms original ECG information and combinations thereof from a first ECG lead system to a second ECG lead system and an inverse transformation component (34) that derives ECG information in... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070232944 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a subcutaneous medical device: A method and apparatus for detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes forming a first sensing vector and a second sensing vector, advancing from a first state to a second state in response to processing of an interval associated... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070232945 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a subcutaneous medical device: A method and apparatus for detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes, charging an energy storage device in response to the sensed cardiac signals, determining whether the charging of the energy storage device is completed, and determining whether the... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070232947 - Method of extracting low-frequency or high-frequency component from a signal with slope tracing waves: This invention is about extracting two signals from the signal in which more than two frequency components are mixed. In detail, this is about extracting low or high frequency component by distinguishing signal distortion using slope tracing wave. This invention applies two slope tracing wave to an arbitrary signal to... Agent: Martine Penilla & Gencarella, LLP

20070232948 - Method and apparatus for detecting arrhythmias in a subcutaneous medical device: A method and apparatus for detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes, determining a relationship between a plurality of characteristics associated with a morphology of the cardiac signals sensed during a predetermined sensing window, generating a threshold in response... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070232949 - Method for simultaneous bi-atrial mapping of atrial fibrillation: A method for diagnosing and mapping atrial fibrillation correlates recordings of electrical activity from intracardiac multielectrode catheters with the locations of electrodes within the heart to obtain a global mapping of cardiac electrical activity. Time delay and/or amplitude information in the recorded electrical activities is fused with electrode location information... Agent: Hansen Huang Technology Law Group, LLP

20070232950 - Portable alveolar gas meter: A portable alveolar gas measurement device and method of determining at least one alveolar gas level are disclosed. The device includes a structure that receives a sample portion of breath, and a gas sensor in communication with the structure that detects a gas level of a gas within the sample... Agent: Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S C

20070232951 - Method and apparatus for predicting work of breathing: A method of creating a non-invasive predictor of both physiologic and imposed patient effort from airway pressure and flow sensors attached to the patient using an adaptive mathematical model. The patient effort is commonly measured via work of breathing, power of breathing, or pressure-time product of esophageal pressure and is... Agent: Saliwanchik Lloyd & Saliwanchik A Professional Association

20070232952 - Method and device for collecting and analyzing exhaled breath: A method and device for collecting, storing, shipping, preparing and analyzing condensate derived from the exhaled breath of a user. Using the mouthpiece (15) of the device (10), a human subject inhales drawing air through a check valve (30).... Agent: Woods, Rogers, P.L.C

20070232953 - Mri biopsy device: A compression assembly for retaining a patient's breast during a biopsy procedure that provides a wide variety of potential access points through which tissue may be accessed by a biopsy device.... Agent: Frost Brown Todd, LLC

20070232954 - Automated skin biopsy device: An automatic skin biopsy device that includes a drive unit and a variety of shapes and sizes of disposable cartridges. The device is capable of automatic extraction of a small and precisely located portion of skin having a shape similar to a wide canoe. A disposable cartridge is mounted onto... Agent: John R. Ross, Iii

20070232955 - Apparatus and method for accessing a body site: A device and method of using the device to access a desired tissue site within a patient's body and separating a tissue specimen from the tissue site suitable for evaluation. The device includes a probe member having an arcuate tissue-cutting RF powered electrode secured to and distally spaced from the... Agent: Edward J. Lynch Duane Morris LLP

20070232956 - Method and apparatus for sampling and analysis of fluids: A medical device having a housing (2) with a bore (3) and a lancet (1) slidably fitting in the bore. The lancet operates as a positive displacement piston. In a retracted position, in which the lancet is rearwardly displaced along the bore to define a fluid-containing space in the bore... Agent: Darby & Darby P.C.

20070232957 - Guide wire: A guide wire includes a first wire disposed on the distal side, and a second wire disposed on the proximal side and made from a material having an elastic modulus larger than that of the first wire. The first wire and the second wire are joined to each other by... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070232959 - Cas system for condyle measurement: A method of determining a reference point on condyles of a femur uses a computer assisted surgery system having a digitizer with perpendicular first and second planar surfaces, the digitizer being locatable and trackable in three dimensional space by the computer assisted surgery system. A digitized plane is created using... Agent: Ogilvy Renault LLP

20070232960 - Methods for determining pedicle base circumference, pedicle isthmus and center of the pedicle isthmus for pedicle screw or instrument placement in spinal surgery: A method of determining the pedicle base circumference and the pedicle isthmus to facilitate screw placement in a pedicle of a vertebral body during spinal surgery, comprising providing a series of first lines tangential to the outer cortical surface of the vertebral body in and near the pedicle on a... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070232958 - Sensor and method for spinal monitoring: A sensor for detecting changes in spinal tissue is disclosed. The implantable sensor or surgical instrument includes a sensing element adapted for detecting indicators of tissue health. The sensor is configured for transmitting the tissue data outside of the body. Further a system and method are provided to utilize the... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20070232961 - Tooth movement tracking system: Systems and methods are disclosed for determining movement of a tooth model from a first position to a second position by identifying one or more common features on the tooth model; detecting the position of the common features on the tooth model at the first position; detecting the position of... Agent: Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP