603 results about "Anatomical feature" patented technology

A device is provided for use with a body fluid sampling device for extracting bodily fluid from an anatomical feature. The device comprises a cartridge having a plurality of cavities. The device may include a plurality of penetrating members each at least partially contained in the cavities of the cartridge wherein the penetrating members are slidably movable to extend outward from openings on the cartridge to penetrate tissue. The device may also include a plurality of analyte detecting members and a plurality of chambers. Each chamber may be associated with one of the cavities, the chambers positioned along an outer periphery of the cartridge, wherein at least one of said analyte detecting members forms a portion of one wall of one of said plurality of chambers. In one embodiment, the device may also include a fluid spreader positioned over at least a portion of said analyte detecting member to urge fluid toward one of the detecting members.

A wearable system with a gestural interface for wearing on, for instance, the wrist of a user. The system comprises an ultrasonic transceiver array structure and may comprise a pico projector display element for displaying an image on a surface. User anatomical feature inputs are received in the form of ultrasound signals representative of a spatio-temporal cross-section of the wrist of the user by articulating wrist, finger and hand postures, which articulations are translated into gestures. Inputs from inertial and other sensors are used by the system as part of the anatomical feature posture identification method and device. Gestures are recognized using a mathematically-modeled, simulation-based set of biological metrics of tissue objects, which gestures are converted to executable computer instructions. Embodiments of the system disclosed herein may also be used to monitor biometric and health data over computer networks or using onboard systems.

A system and method for developing customized apparatus for use in one or more surgical procedures is disclosed. The system and method incorporates a patient's unique anatomical features or morphology, which may be derived from capturing MRI data or CT data, to fabricate at least one custom apparatus. According to a preferred embodiment, the customized apparatus comprises a plurality of complementary surfaces based on a plurality of data points from the MRI or CT data. Thus, each apparatus may be matched in duplicate and oriented around the patient's own anatomy, and may further provide any desired axial alignments or insertional trajectories. In an alternate embodiment, the apparatus may further be aligned with at least one other apparatus used during the surgical procedure.

A surgical navigation system has a computer with a memory and display connected to a surgical instrument or pointer and position tracking system, so that the location and orientation of the pointer are tracked in real time and conveyed to the computer. The computer memory is loaded with data from an MRI, CT, or other volumetric scan of a patient, and this data is utilized to dynamically display 3-dimensional perspective images in real time of the patient's anatomy from the viewpoint of the pointer. The images are segmented and displayed in color to highlight selected anatomical features and to allow the viewer to see beyond obscuring surfaces and structures. The displayed image tracks the movement of the instrument during surgical procedures. The instrument may include an imaging device such as an endoscope or ultrasound transducer, and the system displays also the image for this device from the same viewpoint, and enables the two images to be fused so that a combined image is displayed. The system is adapted for easy and convenient operating room use during surgical procedures.

Elongated medical devices are disclosed adapted to be inserted through an access pathway into a body vessel, organ or cavity to locate a therapeutic or diagnostic distal segment of the elongated medical device into alignment with an anatomic feature of interest. Multi-lumen steerable catheters having a deflection lumen liner and a delivery lumen liner are adapted to be deflected by a deflection mechanism within or advanced through the deflection lumen liner to enable advancement of the catheter distal end through a tortuous pathway. At least one lumen liner is formed of a no yield elastomer.

The invention provides systems and methods for neuromuscular electrical stimulation to muscle tissue. Stimulation electrodes and sensors may be provided, such that signals provided by the sensors may affect the signals provided to the stimulation electrodes, thus providing a feedback. Stimulation electrodes may be provided on a stimulation pad and sensors may be provided on a sensing pad, which may be designed to conform to an anatomical feature. A system for neuromuscular electrical stimulation may also include temperature sensitive elements that may help prevent burns, especially for comatose, sedated, or patients in critical condition. The system may also include a cooling assembly for a stimulation pad.

Devices, systems and methods are provided for treating pain while minimizing or eliminating possible complications and undesired side effects, particularly the sensation of paresthesia. This is achieved by stimulating in proximity to a dorsal root ganglion with stimulation energy in a manner that will affect pain sensations without generating substantial sensations of paresthesia. In some embodiments, such neurostimulation takes advantage of anatomical features and functions particular to the dorsal root ganglion.

A disposable absorbent article to be worn about the lower torso of a wearer that facilitates an easy, intuitive change is provided. The disposable absorbent article includes at least one serviceable indicium that facilitates an easy, intuitive change by aligning the article relative to an anatomical feature of the wearer or relative to a component of the article thereby enhancing the fit and corresponding performance of the article.

A system and method are provided for control of a navigation system for deploying a medical device within a subject, and for enhancement of a display image of anatomical features for viewing the projected location and movement of medical devices, and projected locations of a variety of anatomical features and other spatial markers in the operating region. The display of the X-ray imaging system information is augmented in a manner such that a physician can more easily become oriented in three dimensions with the use of a single-plane X-ray display. The projection of points and geometrical shapes within the subject body onto a known imaging plane can be obtained using associated imaging parameters and projective geometry.

A system and method are provided for control of a navigation system for deploying a medical device within a subject, and for enhancement of a display image of anatomical features for viewing the projected location and movement of medical devices, and projected locations of a variety of anatomical features and other spatial markers in the operating region. The display of the X-ray imaging system information is augmented in a manner such that a physician can more easily become oriented in three dimensions with the use of a single-plane X-ray display. The projection of points and geometrical shapes within the subject body onto a known imaging plane can be obtained using associated imaging parameters and projective geometry.

A method of confirming the location of an elongate member configured for placement within a patient's sinus cavity comprises introducing the elongate member through a nasal passageway to place a distal tip of the elongate member in a test position, the elongate member configured to emit illuminating light via the distal end of the elongate member. The location of the light is then viewed through the patient's skin to confirm the positioning of the elongate member.

Methods and systems for generating custom implants by programmatically analyzing a patient's image data to electronically obtain shapes and dimensions of relevant anatomical features of a target region of the patient; and fabricating a patient-specific replacement implant for the patient using the analyzed patient image data. Related patient-specific spinal implants are also described.

A system and method for developing customized apparatus for use in one or more surgical procedures is disclosed. The system and method incorporates a patient's unique anatomical features or morphology, which may be derived from capturing MRI data or CT data, to fabricate at least one custom apparatus. According to a preferred embodiment, the customized apparatus comprises a plurality of complementary surfaces based on a plurality of data points from the MRI or CT data. Thus, each apparatus may be matched in duplicate and oriented around the patient's own anatomy, and may further provide any desired axial alignments or insertional trajectories. In an alternate embodiment, the apparatus may further be aligned and / or matched with at least one other apparatus used during the surgical procedure.

Methods and systems for automatically generating a mask delineating a region of interest (ROI) within an image containing skin are disclosed. The image may be of an anatomical area containing skin, such as the face, neck, chest, shoulders, arms or hands, among others, or may be of portions of such areas, such as the cheek, forehead, or nose, among others. The mask that is generated is based on the locations of anatomical features or landmarks in the image, such as the eyes, nose, eyebrows and lips, which can vary from subject to subject and image to image. As such, masks can be adapted to individual subjects and to different images of the same subjects, while delineating anatomically standardized ROIs, thereby facilitating standardized, reproducible skin analysis over multiple subjects and / or over multiple images of each subject. Moreover, the masks can be limited to skin regions that include uniformly illuminated portions of skin while excluding skin regions in shadow or hot-spot areas that would otherwise provide erroneous feature analysis results. Methods and systems are also disclosed for automatically registering a skin mask delineating a skin ROI in a first image captured in one imaging modality (e.g., standard white light, UV light, polarized light, multi-spectral absorption or fluorescence imaging, etc.) onto a second image of the ROI captured in the same or another imaging modality. Such registration can be done using linear as well as non-linear spatial transformation techniques.

A system according to the present invention helps to reduce consumption of food by a patient. In one aspect, the system includes a banding apparatus which may be applied to around part of a patient's stomach to reduce that part to a reduced diameter. Another aspect provides wrapping apparatus that may extend from the banding apparatus and around an upper pouch of the stomach to inhibit expansion of the upper pouch beyond a predetermined volume. The wrapping apparatus further may be anchored relative to part of the patient's body to mitigate diaphragmatic hernia.

A system for auto-anastomosing a region of the body using magnetic members that may be individually delivered to different locations in the body. The magnetic members have a polar alignment that generates an attractive force to compress tissue in the region between them. The tissue in the region necroses as a result of the compressive force such that tissue surrounding the necrosed tissue heals together to form an anastomosis. A cutting member may be coupled to either the first or second magnetic member to create a temporary opening in the tissue.

Methods and apparatus for incrementally manipulating a body member of a patient are disclosed. The apparatus has a magnetic implant adapted to be received on a location of the body member, a form external to the patient, and a magnetic member coupled to the form, wherein the magnetic member generates a magnetic force between the implant and the form to incrementally manipulate the body member. The implant and external magnetic member are preferably rare earth magnets or an array of rare earth magnets, and are configured to generate an attractive or repulsive force between the implant and the platform to reposition, reorient, deform, or lengthen the body member.

A body fluid sampling device for extracting bodily fluid from an anatomical feature is provided. The device comprises a penetrating member driver for driving a penetrating member to create a wound to extract bodily fluid; a light source positioned to indicate a point of sampling where the wound will be created, the light source indicating the point of sampling with a beam of light. The light source may be selected from one of the following: an LED, incandescent, fluorescent, or electroluminescent light source.

A method of automatically registering a surgical navigation system to a patient's anatomy is provided. The method comprises programming a surgical navigation system with a first spatial relationship between a surgical component and a reference array connected to the surgical component, programming the surgical navigation system with a second spatial relationship between an anatomical feature of a patient and the surgical component, installing the surgical component on the patient such that the surgical component engages the anatomical feature in the second spatial relationship, and locating the reference array with the surgical navigation system. The navigation system automatically recognizes the position of the reference array relative to the patient's anatomy.

A system, method, and computer program product for estimating human body pose are described. According to one aspect, anatomical features are detected in a depth image of a human actor. The method detects a head, neck, and trunk (H-N-T) template in the depth image, and detects limbs in the depth image based on the H-N-T template. The anatomical features are detected based on the H-N-T template and the limbs. An estimated pose of a human model is estimated based on the detected features and kinematic constraints of the human model.

A system according to the present invention helps to reduce consumption of food by a patient. In one aspect, the system includes a banding apparatus which may be applied to around part of a patient's stomach to reduce that part to a reduced diameter. Another aspect provides wrapping apparatus that may extend from the banding apparatus and around an upper pouch of the stomach to inhibit expansion of the upper pouch beyond a predetermined volume. The wrapping apparatus further may be anchored relative to part of the patient's body to mitigate diaphragmatic hernia.

Systems and methods are disclosed for manipulating an anatomical feature within the body of the patient. An implant such as an internal jackscrew is implanted at the anatomical and has first and second attachment points that secure to spaced-apart locations on the anatomical feature, an internal rotor coupled to the jackscrew, and is configured to drive motion of the jackscrew to manipulate the anatomical feature. The system further includes an external rotor that is magnetically coupled to the internal rotor such that rotation of the external rotor at an exterior location to the patient's body affects a corresponding internal rotation of the internal rotor to manipulate the anatomical feature.

A system dynamically improves quality of medical images using at least one processing device including an image analyzer, a correction processor and a message generator. The image analyzer automatically parses and analyzes data representing an image of a particular anatomical feature of a patient acquired by a medical image acquisition device to identify defects in the image by examining the data representing the image for predetermined patterns associated with image defects. The correction processor uses a predetermined information map associating image defects with corresponding corrective image acquisition parameters to determine corrected image acquisition parameters for use in re-acquiring an image using the image acquisition device in response to an identified defect. The message generator generates a message for presentation to a user indicating an identified defect and suggesting use of the corrected image acquisition parameters for re-acquiring an image.

A system, method, and computer program product for estimating upper body human pose are described. According to one aspect, a plurality of anatomical features are detected in a depth image of the human actor. The method detects a head, neck, and torso (H-N-T) template in the depth image, and detects the features in the depth image based on the H-N-T template. An estimated pose of a human model is estimated based on the detected features and kinematic constraints of the human model.

An apparatus for ultrasonic mammography includes: an array of ultrasonic transducers and signal processing means for converting the output of the transducer array into three dimensional renderings of anatomical features; and, an applicator device having a first side conformable to the contour of the transducer array and a second side configured to accept the breast, the applicator device further containing a quantity of fluid sufficient to surround and stabilize the breast during examination without substantially altering the breast from its natural shape.

Implantable cardiac monitoring and stimulation methods and devices with epicardial leads having sensor feedback. A fixed or extendable / retractable sensor may be displaceable within the lead's lumen and configured to sense the presence of an anatomical feature or physiological parameter of cardiac tissue in proximity with the lead body's distal end. The sensor may include an ultrasonic sensing element, a perfusion sensor, a photoplethysmographic sensor, or a blood oximetry sensor. Methods of determining suitability for implanting a lead involve the steps of accessing an epicardial surface of the heart, and moving the cardiac lead to an implant site at the epicardial surface. A transmitted signal is directed at the implant site. A reflected signal is received, indicative of the presence of a blood vessel at the implant site. A determination may be made to determine whether the implant site is suitable or unsuitable based on the reflected signal.

Imaging systems and methods for operating an imaging system capable of forming images based upon adjustable image capture settings and a viewing frame in which evaluation images of a scene are observable are provided. In accordance with the method, an initial viewing distance is detected from the viewing frame to an anatomical feature of a user; determining an initial image capture setting. A change in the viewing distance is detected and a revised image capture setting is determined based upon an extent of the change in the change in the viewing distance. The image capture setting is adjusted based upon the revised image capture setting.