Importance

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Abstract

This patent relates to an apparatus involving optical cameras, one or more, and computer graphic means for registering anatomical subjects seen in the cameras to computer graphic image displays of image data taken from CT, MRI or other scanning image means. One or more cameras may be set up to view the anatomical subject. The anatomical subject has been scanned previously by an imaging machine such as a CT scanner and the data has been stored in a computer with computergraphic readout. The computer has software which enables rotation translation and scaling of the anatomical subject seen in the image data. By registering the field of view of the camera or cameras with the corresponding graphic view of the image data, a registration of the optical view with the scanner image view can be made. In this way, points identifiable in the camera view can be located in the image data view and vice versa. In addition, if two views of the anatomical subject are taken, unique 3-dimensional coordinates of corresponding points between the camera to the image reconstructions can be determined. For instance, a space probe or microscope or surgical instrument can be quantitatively referenced to the anatomy with the scene of the camera field-of-view by reference to the identical scanner view. Thus, the position of the probe or its directional view toward the subject relative to internal anatomical structures can be determined. Index marks on the subject as seen in the camera and image may also be an adjunct to this technique.

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First Claim