Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110144431 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING USE OF CAPSULE ENDOSCOPES - In a method or system for limiting use of capsule endoscopes by a capsule endoscope maagnetic steering system used by a customer, the capsule endoscope is provided with a use code stored with the capsule. The use code is read and analyzed to determine whether or not the customer's capsule endoscope magnetic steering system will be enabled or disabled for use with the capsule endoscope from which the use code was read. | 06-16-2011 |
20110282189 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINATION OF 3D POSITIONS AND ORIENTATIONS OF SURGICAL OBJECTS FROM 2D X-RAY IMAGES - In a method, a system and a computer readable storage medium encoded with programming instructions, as well as a calculation module for three-dimensional presentation of at least two separate surgical objects within a medical procedure, access to three-dimensional models for the surgical objects takes place based on an acquired two-dimensional x-ray image with the surgical objects. The accessed three-dimensional models are integrated into the acquired two-dimensional x-ray image in order to be shown as a modified x-ray image. The modified x-ray image includes position information, relative positions and orientations of the surgical objects. | 11-17-2011 |
20120128118 | X-RAY SYSTEM AND METHOD TO GENERATE X-RAY IMAGE DATA - An x-ray system to generate x-ray image data of a predefined volume segment of an examination subject has either an arc-shaped mount or an annular gantry, an x-ray emitter arrangement with multiple x-ray microemitters, an x-ray detector arrangement with multiple x-ray pixels arranged directly adjacent to one another, and a controller to activate the x-ray emitter arrangement and the x-ray detector arrangement. The x-ray emitter arrangement and the x-ray detector are situated opposite one another on the arc-shaped mount or the gantry. The x-ray system is designed for introduction of the examination subject between the x-ray emitter arrangement and the x-ray detector. | 05-24-2012 |
20120236993 | METHOD FOR CORRECTLY GEOMETRICALLY ASSIGNING X-RAY IMAGES - In a method for correctly geometrically assigning x-ray images of a patient an optically operating recording device is attached to an x-ray device generating the x-ray images. A dimensionally stable marker surface which can be optically detected by the recording device and defines a reference system is fixed to the patient in a fixed relative position. The x-ray device is brought into a first and second recording position such that the recording device is directed toward the marker surface. In a recording position the x-ray device produces a first and second x-ray image of the patient and the recording device produces a first and second recording of the marker surface. The respective geometric position of the first and second x-ray image is determined in the reference system from the recordings. The first and second x-ray images are correctly geometrically assigned to one another in accordance with their position. | 09-20-2012 |
20120257714 | X-RAY METHOD AND X-RAY SYSTEM FOR MERGING X-RAY IMAGES AND DETERMINING THREE-DIMENSIONAL VOLUME DATA - Three-dimensional image information is generated of a body part that is larger than the visual field of an X-ray machine. An X-ray source and an X-ray detector are disposed at a first position such that the X-ray source and the X-ray detector can record a first projection image of at least a first section of a body part. Then the first projection image is recorded. The X-ray source and the X-ray detector are next disposed at a second position such that the X-ray source and the X-ray detector can record a second projection image of at least a second section of the body part. The second section partially overlaps the first section. The first and second projection images are merged to form a projected image. A three-dimensional volume of the body part is reconstructed from the plurality of projection images. | 10-11-2012 |
20120281808 | METHOD FOR GEOMETRICALLY CORRECT ASSOCIATION OF 3D IMAGE DATA OF A PATIENT - In a method for geometrically correct association of at least two 3D image data of a patient, a marker field that defines a reference and is dimensionally stable and can be imaged in an x-ray image, is fixed in a stationary position relative to the patient. An x-ray apparatus is brought into first and second 3D acquisition positions. In each of the 3D acquisition positions, the x-ray apparatus acquires first 2D x-ray images for the associated 3D image data in various positions. The first and second 3D acquisition positions are selected such that a second 2D x-ray image that includes an image of at least a portion of the marker field is acquired in at least one respective position. The respective attitudes of the 3D acquisition position and the 3D image data in the reference system are determined from the image of the marker field in the second 2D x-ray image. First and second image data are geometrically correctly associated with one another according to their respective attitude. | 11-08-2012 |
20120281809 | INDICATOR UNIT - In a method and device to visually indicate a marking location on a patient, an x-ray source generates an x-ray image in which the marking location is indicated. An optical source that emits a light beam has a coordinate system associated therewith, and a computerized coordinate transformation unit automatically determines coordinates of the optical source, in the coordinate system, that cause the light beam emitted thereby to pass through the same marking position indicated in the x-ray image, through which an x-ray beam emitted by the x-ray source also proceeds. | 11-08-2012 |
20130066196 | DETERMINING AND VERIFYING THE COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION BETWEEN AN X-RAY SYSTEM AND A SURGERY NAVIGATION SYSTEM - The device enables the detection of positions of the navigation marking elements on a reference star by way of at least two projection images taken by an X-ray system at different pivoting angles of a C-arm. The positions of the navigation marking elements on the reference star are also calculated by a navigation system tracking camera. The transformation from the coordinate system of the navigation system into the coordinate system of the X-ray system is calculated from the position of the reference star detected by the X-ray system and the position of the reference star detected by the tracking camera. The navigation marking elements are located outside of the volume which is reconstructed by way of the imaging process in order to prepare tomographic images. The positions of the navigation marking elements are determined from two-dimensional projections. All the navigation marking elements need only be detected by at least two projection images. | 03-14-2013 |
20130089180 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AN X-RAY PROJECTION IMAGE IN A DESIRED DIRECTION - A method for producing an X-ray projection image of a body region of a patient using a desired spatial location of a central ray, includes positioning a pointing element relative to the patient indicating a location of a pointing line and causing the location of the pointing line to coincide with the desired central ray location. A pointing line location and a central ray location currently set on an X-ray machine are recorded. A measure for deviation between the pointing line and the currently set central ray location is determined and used to set the desired central ray location. A medical apparatus includes an X-ray machine taking an X-ray projection image along a central ray, a pointing element indicating a pointing line, an acquisition unit detecting the pointing line location and the currently set central ray location, and a control and evaluation unit implementing software carrying out the method. | 04-11-2013 |
20130177230 | IMPLANT POSE DETERMINATION IN MEDICAL IMAGING - The pose of an implant represented in a medical image is determined from the medical image. The x-ray image of the implant is compared to a database of the implant viewed at different poses (e.g., viewed from different directions). The implant pose associated with the best match indicates the pose of the implant in the x-ray image. | 07-11-2013 |
20130190611 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING A DEVIATION OF A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT FROM A TARGET POSITION - In a method for determining a deviation of a medical instrument from a target position, in an image of an implant located in the body of a patient created with an imaging system, a virtual model of the implant is fitted at the correct location and thus a location of the implant is determined in the imaging system. On a basis of the location of the virtual model in the imaging system and a target position for an instrument selected as a fixed position relative to the virtual model, the location of the target position in the imaging system is determined. A video image of the instrument is created by a recording device and its current location in relation to the recording device is determined from this. By a geometrical relationship between the recording device and the imaging system, a deviation of the instrument from the target position is determined. | 07-25-2013 |
20130216023 | METHOD AND C-ARM SYSTEM FOR ACQUISITION OF A TWO-DIMENSIONAL, X-RAY PROJECTION IMAGE - In a C-arm system and a method for image acquisition of an x-ray projection image, wherein the projection region of the subject that is to be images is larger than the maximum projection region covered by a stationary x-ray beam, and to generate a complete exposure of the entire projection region to be imaged, at least two individual projection exposures are generated and combined. The generation of the at least two individual exposures takes place with a focus that is stationary relative to the subject and with a modified spatial angle of the emitted x-ray beam. | 08-22-2013 |
20130243160 | CONTROL UNIT AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A MOBILE MEDICAL DEVICE - A medical device, such as a mobile C-arm, is positioned and/or aligned via a touch-sensitive control panel of a tablet. The touch-sensitive control panel provides access to one or more function units, for example, for initiating control signals for a positioning and/or an alignment of the medical device, or a second function unit for specifying a direction of movement for a mobile medical unit, or a third function unit for specifying a motion speed for the mobile medical device. | 09-19-2013 |
20130293535 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR VIRTUAL SPATIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF A SURGICAL TOOL - An apparatus and a method determine a virtual spatial reconstruction of a surgical tool imaged in a 2D x-ray image. A reconstruction module segments a 2D image of at least one element of the surgical tool in the 2D x-ray image and a spatial reconstruction of the at least one element is implemented after the spatial configuration of the 2D image of the at least one element is determined. | 11-07-2013 |
20140003576 | SUPPORTING DEVICE AND INTRA-OPERATIVE IMAGING DEVICE HAVING THE SUPPORTING DEVICE | 01-02-2014 |
20140023290 | METHOD FOR CORRECTING METAL ARTIFACTS IN X-RAY IMAGING, AND X-RAY DEVICE - Artifacts caused by at least one metal object in a target region to be imaged are corrected during the reconstruction of a three-dimensional image dataset from a number of two-dimensional projection images of the target region recorded from different projection directions with an x-ray device. An orientation and position of a three-dimensional model of the known metal object is determined in the coordinate system of the x-ray device via a 2D-3D registration with at least one two-dimensional projection image, after which, for each radiation path of the projection images running through the metal object, on the basis of attenuation information through the metal object assigned to the model, an attenuation portion through the metal object is calculated for the projection image data assigned to the radiation path and is obtained by computation for determining modified projection images from the projection image data. The three-dimensional image dataset is determined from the modified projection images. | 01-23-2014 |
20140051994 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING A TARGET POSITION FOR A MEDICAL PROCEDURE - A method for determining the location, in a coordinate system, of a target position for an invasive medical procedure on a patient. An entry mark that defines the coordinate system and indicates an entry position for the procedure is affixed to the patient. A site marker, which can be identified in a radioscopy image, is fixed in a known relative location in the coordinate system. At least two 2D radioscopy images of the patient, which both depict the respective site marker and the target position, are recorded from different recording directions. The location of the target position in the coordinate system is determined from the representation of the target position and from the representation of the site marker in the 2D radioscopy images and from the relative location of the site marker in the coordinate system. | 02-20-2014 |
20140086393 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR POSITIONING A MEDICAL DEVICE - A mobile C-arm is able to be positioned in a predetermined alignment by a positioning unit and an associated method. The apparatus has a positioning unit containing a controllable section having at least a first hinged bracket and a first hinge and is able to be positioned with a removable connection to the medical device at a determinable location. The medical device is able to be positioned at a predetermined location by means of the positioning unit. | 03-27-2014 |
20140171789 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING POSITIONAL INFORMATION FOR A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT - An apparatus and a method for determining the position of a medical instrument, particularly for the purpose of medical navigation. In order to use a simple system to provide a relatively inexpensive technique for determining positional information, the position and/or orientation of the medical instrument is determined by ascertaining the same on the basis of position finding operations. Electromagnetic fields are first measured and the results of relative field strength measurements are taken as a basis for ascertaining the direction of a line from a transmitter to a receiver. After this direction information is known, it is used to determine the positional information of the medical instrument. | 06-19-2014 |
20140247925 | ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR IMAGE COMBINATION - It is possible, by use of a calibration scale shown in partial X-ray images, for non-overlapping partial X-ray images to be combined and assigned to one another. Therefore the individual x-ray images which are not overlapping can be related spatially. In this manner x-ray images only have to be made of surgically significant regions and therefore the x-ray exposure of a patient is reduced. | 09-04-2014 |
20140267255 | METHOD FOR ARTIFACT-FREE RENDERING OF METAL PARTS IN THREE-DIMENSIONALLY RECONSTRUCTED IMAGES - A method for artifact-free rendering of metal parts in 3D three-dimensionally reconstructed images of an examination object in a patient, includes recording a 3D scan without metal parts producing a 3D data record, recording n projection images with metal parts from known locations or directions, 2D/3D registering bone in the n projection images with the 3D data record, 2D/3D registering of the metal parts from the n projection images and 3D models of the metal parts, calculating locations of the metal parts in the 3D data record based on the 2D/3D registration thereof, and superposing all current locations of the metal parts in the 3D data record. There is no need for a new 3D scan to check current screw positions. The 3D representation of screw positions in the bone is performed without artifacts, enabling reliable assessment of screw locations, for example in spinal column surgery. | 09-18-2014 |
20140294160 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ESTABLISHING OBJECT DATA - A method establishes a spatial position of a part of an x-ray ruler imaged in at least one x-ray image. The X-ray ruler is attached to an alignment of an object to be x-rayed. The X-ray ruler has at least a first part and a second part each having x-ray markers, and the first and second parts are connected to each other by a connection element. A spatial configuration of the x-ray markers is determined on a basis of images of the x-markers in an x-ray image or x-ray images. | 10-02-2014 |
20140324182 | CONTROL SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR POSITIONING AN ENDOPROSTHESIS - A computer-aided control system, a computer-based method and a computer program or a computer program product control an implant positioning of an endoprosthesis. Planning data are generated on the basis of a preoperatively acquired first image data set. The endoprosthesis is provisionally positioned intraoperatively. A second image data set representing the current ACTUAL position of the endoprosthesis is thereupon acquired. Control data are thereupon generated, the control data serve for the fine positioning of the endoprosthesis and being based on a comparison between DESIRED and ACTUAL states. | 10-30-2014 |
20140328460 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ASSISTING IN THE TREATMENT OF BONE FRACTURES - A bone fracture is treated by employing a database with comparison data records. The records each include at least one 3D image data record of at least one bone. Each comparison data record is assigned to an examination object, into which a comparison implant was implanted prior to recording the 3D image data record. A two-dimensional x-ray image of a target bone is generated. A 2D/3D registration of the x-ray image with 3D image data records is effected and a deviation value is calculated for each comparison data record. A reference data record is determined by selecting the comparison data record that includes the 3D image data record with the lowest deviation value. An implantation parameter is determined which describes a parameter of the implant and/or of a fastening element for fastening the implant, using the reference data record and/or displaying data of the reference data record on a display. | 11-06-2014 |
20140340401 | METHOD FOR GENERATING DISPLAY IMAGE DATA - A method generates a 3D image data set of a volume to be examined, in which at least part of a foreign object is positioned. A set of 2D projection images is recorded, the image regions which present the foreign object are detected in at least two 2D projection images of the set. The image regions which present the foreign object are segmented in the at least two 2D projection images. A marking assigned to the segmented image regions is incorporated in the at least two 2D projection images. The 2D projection images, including the at least two 2D projection images having the incorporated markings, are used for the reconstruction of a 3D image data set containing the marking. | 11-20-2014 |
20150065866 | METHOD FOR REPOSITIONING A MOBILE IMAGING SYSTEM, IMAGE CAPTURING UNIT AND OPTICAL MARKER - A method for repositioning a mobile imaging system includes:
| 03-05-2015 |