321 results about "Contrast imaging" patented technology

The present invention provides extended depth of field or focus to conventional Amplitude Contrast imaging systems. This is accomplished by including a Wavefront Coding mask in the system to apply phase variations to the wavefront transmitted by the Phase Object being imaged. The phase variations induced by the Wavefront Coding mask code the wavefront and cause the optical transfer function to remain essentially constant within some range away from the in-focus position. This provides a coded image at the detector. Post processing decodes this coded image, resulting in an in-focus image over an increased depth of field.

Contrast Imaging apparatus and methods with Wavefront Coding aspheric optics and post processing increase depth of field and reduce misfocus effects in imaging Phase Objects. The general Interference Contrast imaging system is modified with a special purpose optical element and image processing of the detected image to form the final image. The Wavefront Coding optical element can be fabricated as a separate component, can be constructed as an integral component of the imaging objective, tube lens, beam splitter, polarizer or any combination of such.

A transmit sequence for contrast agent imaging that improves sensitivity and minimizes image artifacts. The number of pulses and the interleaving of spatially distinct pulses between spatially co-linear pulses are selected such that a substantially similar pulse sequence for substantially each line in a scanned region is generated. A collateral pulse from a different scan line is interleaved between at least two imaging pulses along a scan line of interest. Such pulse sequences provide sensitive contrast agent imaging with minimized spatial variation. In another aspect, responsive signals representing the first and second scan lines are obtained. Intensities associated with the signals are determined. The intensities associated with the first scan line are compared to a value. The signals associated with the first scan line are replaced by the signals associated with the second scan line, signals associated with the first and second scan lines, or neighboring signals in time or space as a function of the comparison. Thus, signals associated with an image artifact may be replaced by signals along other scan lines so good spatial resolution is maintained.

The invention relates to a method for preparing multifunctional three-layer core-shell structure micro/nano particles. The particles are of spherical structures, the thickness of each shell layer is controllable, multiple materials or medicines having different properties can be effectively and independently coated simultaneously, multifunctional characteristic compounding can be realized by adding functional auxiliary materials into each phase, the advantages of multilayer core-shell structures and excellent optical, electrical, magnetic, acoustic and biological characteristics are integrated into a whole, drug controlled release and medical contrast imaging application can be realized, and particularly the core-shell structure has excellent application prospects in the aspects of disease treatment and medical imaging. The preparation method is a coaxial electrostatic spraying method, the process and equipment are simple, the generated particles are controllable in forms, the particle size, shape and core-shell thickness of the obtained core-shell structure particles can be controlled by changing the operating parameters, the particle size is uniform, and the core-shell structure has good application prospects. In addition, the core-shell structure particles can serve as a precursor for preparing a hollow and special ring structure.

A device and method are provided for storing a prefilled liquid beverage, receiving an oral contrast imaging agent that is mixed with the prefilled liquid beverage, and dispensing a resulting beverage/oral contrast imaging agent mixture. The device has a body defining a chamber for storing the prefilled liquid beverage. A closure is movable between a closed position for sealing the prefilled liquid in the chamber, and an open position for (i) introducing the oral contrast imaging agent into the chamber for mixture with the prefilled liquid beverage, and (ii) dispensing the beverage/oral contrast imaging agent mixture. The device may include first graduations, a time scale and second graduations. The body defines a substantially smooth, axially extending patient information surface including thereon a plurality of marking spaces and respective patient information indicia associated with each marking space for marking thereon information relating to a respective patient.

Systems and methods are provided for imaging a patient. Target imaging parameters for imaging a region of interest of a patient are determined based on desired attributes of images to be generated for the region of interest. Administration parameters for administering a contrast agent are determined based on the target imaging parameters using a computational model of blood flow and contrast agent circulation. A trigger time for imaging the region of interest is determined based on the administration parameters using the computational model of blood flow and contrast agent circulation. The region of interest of the patient is caused to be imaged based on the administration parameters and the trigger time.

Assembly comprising a gas-filled microvesicle and a structural entity which is capable to associate through an electrostatic interaction to the outer surface of said microvesicle (microvesicle associated component—MAC), thereby modifying the physico-chemical properties thereof. Said MAC may optionally comprise a targeting ligand, a bioactive agent, a diagnostic agent or any combination thereof. The assembly of the invention can be formed from gasfilled microbubbles or microballoons and a MAC having a diameter of less than 100 pm, in particular a micelle and is used as an active component in diagnostically and/or therapeutically active formulations, in particular for enhancing the imaging in the field of ultrasound contrast imaging, including targeted ultrasound imaging, ultrasound-mediated drug delivery and other imaging techniques such as molecular resonance imaging (MRI) or nuclear imaging.

The present invention relates to phase-contrast imaging which visualizes the phase information of coherent radiation passing a scanned object. Focused gratings are used which reduce the creation of trapezoid profile in a projection with a particular angle to the optical axis. A laser supported method is used in combination with a dedicating etching process for creating such focused grating structures.

X-ray devices for Phase Contrast Imaging (PCI) are often built up with the help of gratings. For large field-of-views (FOV), production cost and complexity of these gratings could increase significantly as they need to have a focused geometry. Instead of a pure PCI with a large FOV, this invention suggests to combine a traditional absorption X-ray-imaging system with large-FOV with an insertable low-cost PCI system with small-FOV, The invention supports the user to direct the PCI system with reduced FOV to a region that he regards as most interesting for performing a PCI scan thus eliminating X-ray dose exposure for scanning regions not interesting for a radiologist. The PCI scan may be generated on the basis of local tomography.

Systems and methods for producing circular extinction (CE) contrast images of anisotropic samples. Microscope systems for determining circular extinction (CE), the differential transmission of left and right circularly polarized light resulting from circular dichroism (CD) of an anisotropic sample, include mechanically driven optical components and an image detector such as a monochromatic CCD camera to detect light intensities. In one aspect, optical components include a tunable filter, a rotatable linear polarizer and a variable retarder. The tunable filter is adjustable to provide light at a specific desired wavelength. The linear polarizer is adjustable to provide linearly polarized light with a specific wave vector, and the variable retarder is adjustable to produce near perfect circular polarized light at every selected wavelength. For example, in one aspect, the variable retarder includes a linear birefringent plate tiltable around one of its eigenmodes perpendicular to the wave vector of polarized light. The plate may be controllably tilted so that it functions as a perfect λ/4 plate at each wavelength.

The invention relates to a formulation comprising a dry material (e.g. lyophilised or spray dried) comprising at least one film forming surfactant and a gas or a gas mixture usable in diagnostic imaging, to a process for the preparation thereof and to a suspension obtainable by reconstituting said formulation with an aqueous carrier for use in contrast imaging. The invention also relates to a container comprising the dry material in contact with a gas. The gas associated with the dry material is at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure.

Provided are a laser speckle contrast imaging method, a laser speckle contrast imaging system, and an apparatus which includes the laser speckle contrast imaging system. The laser speckle contrast imaging system includes a laser light source configured to irradiate laser beams toward a subject, the laser beams having a plurality of wavelength bands and different surface transmittances with respect to the subject. An imaging unit is configured to acquire speckle images by capturing images of speckles by using an image sensor, the speckles being formed when the irradiated laser beams are scattered from the subject. A signal processor is configured to convert the acquired speckle images into speckle contrast images and to acquire a compensated speckle contrast image by compensating for a change caused by a movement of the subject.

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is provided for displaying a color map on which a difference in blood flow dynamics is reflected. Setting a test subject who is administered a contrast agent is assumed as an imaging target, and a probe transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from the target for contrast imaging. Image data is constructed based on signals received by the probe and a time-intensity curve is generated from intensity values of the image data. According to the time-intensity curve, a value of a predetermined parameter is calculated for producing a distribution image of blood flow dynamics. The distribution image (color map) of the blood flow dynamics is produced from the parameter value. The color map is a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional image being color-coded according to the parameter value. At least one of the followings may be used as the parameter; a contrast agent inflow start time, a balanced intensity arrival time, a contrast agent disappearance start time, a contrast agent duration, a preset threshold arrival time, an intensity increase rate, an intensity decrease rate, intensity of balanced state, and a total flow amount.

A non-invasive method for measuring blood flow in principal vessels of a heart of a subject is provided. The method includes illuminating a region of interest in the heart with a coherent light source, wherein the coherent light source has a wavelength of from about 600 nm to about 1100 nm; sequentially acquiring at least two speckle images of the region of interest in the heart during a fixed time period, wherein sequentially acquiring the at least two speckle images comprises acquiring the at least two speckle images in synchronization with motion of the heart of the subject; and electronically processing the at least two acquired speckle images based on the temporal variation of the pixel intensities in the at least two acquired speckle images to generate a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) image and determine spatial distribution of blood flow rate in the principal vessels and quantify perfusion distribution in tissue in the region of interest in the heart from the LSCI image.

A method and apparatus in an ultrasound imaging system is disclosed that enhances the contrast-to-tissue ratio and signal-to-noise ratio of contrast imaging using stepped-chirp waveforms. The first waveform component is employed with a first frequency optimized to initiate the bubble dynamics and the second waveform component is employed with a second frequency optimized to produce an enhanced bubble nonlinear response. The first waveform component and the at least a second waveform component are transmitted as a single stepped-chirp transmit pulse. At least one of a center frequency, an amplitude, a starting phase, and a bandwidth of the waveform components are adjusted to generate the single stepped-chirp transmit pulse. A relative phase, a switch time, and a time delay between the waveform components are also adjusted for maximal enhancement of bubble nonlinear response.

A phase-contrast imaging apparatus for imaging an object, comprising a radiation source, a first diffracting optical element located to receive radiation from the source, a second diffracting optical element located after the first optical element, a spatially resolving detector for detecting radiation from the source that has propagated through the object and been diffracted sequentially by the first optical element and the second optical element and an actuator for providing a relative translation of the first and second optical elements with respect to and across a propagation direction of radiation transmitted from the source to the detector. The actuator provides the relative translations of the first and second optical element at respectively a first speed and a second speed that is the first speed times a magnification factor of the apparatus.

Systems and methods for X-ray phase-contrast imaging (PCI) are provided. A quasi-periodic phase grating can be positioned between an object being imaged and a detector. An analyzer grating can be disposed between the phase grating and the detector. Second-order approximation models for X-ray phase retrieval using paraxial Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction theory are also provided. An iterative method can be used to reconstruct a phase-contrast image or a dark-field image.

The invention relates to an ultrasonic contrast imaging method and system. The system comprises a probe 1, a transmission circuit 2, a reception circuit 4 and a signal processing module, wherein the transmission circuit is used for respectively transmitting a first pulse sequence and a second pulse sequence to a target area through the probe; the reception circuit is used for respectively receiving ultrasonic echoes of the first pulse sequence and the second pulse sequence through the probe so as to obtain a first group of ultrasonic echo signals and a second group of ultrasonic echo signals; and the signal processing module is used for extracting echo signal components according to the first group of ultrasonic echo signals and the second group of ultrasonic echo signals. The invention furthermore discloses a new ultrasonic contrast image transmission control method, so that the registering success rate of a software analysis tool is improved.

Phase contrast imaging is achieved using a sample mask 8 and a detector mask (6). X-rays emitted from x-ray source (2) are formed into individual beams (16) by sample mask which pass through sample (14) and arrive at individual pixels (12) of the detector (4) through detector mask (6). The individual x-ray beams are arranged to hit the pixel edge (20) of individual rows of pixels, individual columns of pixels or individual pixels. Small deviations θ in the individual beams (16) cause a significant increase or decrease in the signal hitting the exposed area (22) of the pixel resulting in a significant phase contrast signal.