The goal of this project is the development of a mobile system for lung function diagnostics in emergency situations. Based on electrical impedance tomography (EIT), changes of electrical properties in the lung are measured using an easily applicable electrode belt. This allows for a three-dimensional imaging and functional analysis to assess ventilation status. (read more)

Das Projekt SONORAY hat zum Ziel, therapeutischen fokussierten Ultraschall (FUS) und Strahlentherapie (RT) zur Behandlung von malignen Tumoren sowie Tumormetastasen zu kombinieren. Die zugrunde liegende Hypothese ist, dass zwei Gewebe zerstörende Methoden/ Energien (Energie von hochintensiven akustischen Wellen und ionisierender Strahlung) effektiver im Kampf gegen Krebs sind, als wenn jeweils nur eine der beiden Energien angewendet wird. (read more)

The aim of CURE-OP is to develop the first commercially available high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) platform specifically designed for combinational cancer therapy. Today, the most common treatment options to cure cancer are surgery, radiation therapy (RT), chemotherapy and targeted therapy including immunotherapy. The approach followed in the CURE-OP project is not to replace any of those options, but to use focused ultrasound to enhance their effectiveness, in this case, the outcome of radiotherapy. (read more)

Image-guided medical interventions gain more and more clinical acceptance. The imaging via ultrasound, X-ray computed tomogra­phy or magnetic resonance tomography allows minimal- and non-invasive pro­cedures such as biopsies, thermal ablation, and emboli­zation. Image guidance leads to smaller incisions and thus re­duces inflammation and hospitalization. (read more)

In cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Neurosciences and the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT) in St. Ingbert, the possibilities of the application of Focused Ultrasound (FUS) for neuromodulation and neurostimulation are investigated. (read more)

Goal of the joint project MR-Stents is the development of a Magnetic Resonance (MR)-guided stent implantation. MR imaging obviates the exposure to radiation and contrast media and enables an increased differentiation of the heart, blood flow analysis, and a 3D display of the heart – enhancing the stent implantation procedure. (read more)

The goal of the joint project MR-Thrombosis-Theranostics is the research and development of a Magnetic Resonance (MR)–guided diagnosis and minimally-invasive therapy of thromboses. MR-guidance overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of X-Ray fluoroscopy and adds high soft tissue contrast. (read more)

Background:
The integration and networking of medical equipment has become an indispensable component of modern operating theatres. At present, the market is characterized by closed solutions, which are regulatorily approved as monolithic settings. The aim of the project is therefore to develop methods that support the development of openly integrated medical devices as well as the approval process by means of a test environment. The project aims to ease the access of SMEs to the market with innovative technologies.

Material & Methods
A simulation environment, including communication infra-structure, simulated medical devices and test scenarios, is being developed. The test platform will verify the networking of medical devices and software components and validate the communication regarding conformity with the communication standards, appropriate message and communication patterns, and timing aspects.
Realistic, scenario-based simulations of an OR setup and its communication are implemented by a simulation engine and emulators of medical devices. Based on an integration with the IEEE 11073 SDC standards family, manufacturers can test their products against the virtual infrastructure early on in the development process.
In the frame of the project, ICCAS is responsible for the automated generation of realistic test scenarios from recordings of real interventions. Methods are developed that use already well-developed stochastic workflow modeling approaches to sample possible intervention courses and orchestrate the states and parameters of the emulated devices based on the estimated surgeon’s behavior. To that end, a simulation engine is implemented, which reads formal descriptions of user and device behavior. A network of sampling components of various types, including Hidden Markov Models, Random Forests, and empirical distributions, is set up and is frequently updated upon the run of a scenario to generate realistic measurements, device parameter configurations, and remote procedure calls for the device under test.

Results
In December 2019, we were able to present the results of the project in presentations and several demo stations. In a first step, the basic interoperability of medical devices using the IEEE11073-SDC standard family was checked. In a second step, complete surgical interventions with a variety of real and simulated medical devices could be performed using a complex simulation framework. In particular, the behavior of the device under test and the network interface can be checked. In the last demo station, the individual components were brought together, and the corresponding result reports were generated based on the results of the test runs. The feedback from the 50 participants in the final presentation on the results shown was consistently positive.

Goal of the project AutoSon is the development of a networked assistance system to support neurosurgical interventions. The AutoSon system includes an expanded neurosurgical navigation system inter-connected with a research platform. The AutoSon system will interact through opened interfaces during all phases of the clinical workflow: the planning, execution and documentation of the operation. (read more)