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Abstract

The present invention enables stereotactic surgery with a minimal structure present in order to facilitate surgery yet with enhanced accuracy in stereotactic imaging assistance to the surgeon. This device and method is known as 'frameless' stereotaxis system, and uses coordinate referencing between the CT or MRI scans and a stereotactic referencing system which uses an electromagnetically driven system (transmitter and receiver) to determine the location of a stylus. Magnetic field distortion is reduced through the use of a low frequency magnetic field. The frame of reference through which this system operates is coordinate referenced to the coordinates of a composite image formed from a CT, MRI, or other system which are arranged and may be generated in two or three dimensional fashion in response to the position of a pointer as they are referenced to the orientation of a patient during an operation. In the present device and method, registration of the scan images illustrating the lesion, with the physical position of the patient is performed by first synchronizing to two coordinate systems, which can be performed in several ways, including the calibration of the stylus to several landmarks on the patient's anatomy.

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First Claim