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Abstract

An interventionalist or operator uses a variety of apparatus 30 including tools, tool guides, and pointers in a procedure on a region of interest. The region of interest was previously the subject of a diagnostic imaging procedure to generate three dimensional diagnostic image data, selective slices or other portions of which are displayable on video monitors 34. The position of the apparatus 30 in operator space is determined by actuating emitters 32, receiving the emitted signals with receivers 12, and calculating the position of the pointer in operator space. A pair of radio translucent constructions 14, 16 each carry a plurality of radiopaque markers 18 which are positioned adjacent the region of interest. Two or more projection images are taken through the region of interest and the radiopaque markers using a movable x-ray tube 22 and radiation detector 24. The operator uses a control 36 to position cursors on corresponding anatomical markers in both the projection images and images from the diagnostic data to determine a correlation or transform between projection image space and diagnostic data space. The operator positions a tip of the pointer 30 on each of the radiopaque markers and actuates the emitters 32 to determine the position of the radiopaque markers in operator space, i.e. to correlate operator space with projection image space. In this manner, the correlation or transform between operator space and diagnostic data space is generated through the intermediary of projection image space.

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First Claim