System and method for navigating within the lung

A method for navigating a probe to a target through a patient's bronchial tree, the method comprising:

• displaying a central navigation view for navigating a bronchoscope through central airways of the patient's bronchial tree toward the target;
• displaying a peripheral navigation view for navigating the probe through peripheral airways of the patient's bronchial tree to the target based at least in part on position information of the probe;
• and
• displaying a target alignment view for aligning a distal tip of the probe with the target based at least in part on the position information of the probe, wherein at least one of the central navigation view, the peripheral navigation view, or the target alignment view includes a local view including:
• a display of a 2D slice from a plurality of 2D slices of a 3D volume, 2D slice displayed horizontally within a 3D window and selected from the plurality of 2D slices based on a current orientation of a longitudinal axis of the probe and the position information of the probe, position of the 2D slice within the 3D window changing based on a change in the position information the probe;
• a virtual representation of the probe overlaid onto the 2D slice in the 3D window, the virtual representation of the probe being fixed relative to the 3D window as the display of the 2D slice changes;
• a 3D representation of the target displayed relative to the 2D slice in the 3D window, the 3D representation of the target including an upper portion located above the 2D slice within the 3D window and a lower portion located below the 2D slice within the 3D window;
• and
• a watermark displayed against the 3D representation of the target in the 3D window.

A method for navigating a probe to a target through a patient's bronchial tree, the method comprising:

• displaying a peripheral navigation view for navigating the probe through peripheral airways of the patient's bronchial tree to the target based at least in part on position information of the probe;
• and
• displaying a target alignment view for aligning a distal tip of the probe with the target based at least in part on the position information of the probe, wherein at least one of the peripheral navigation view or the target alignment view includes a local view including:
• a display of a 2D slice from a plurality of 2D slices of a 3D volume, the 2D slice displayed horizontally within a 3D window and selected from the plurality of 2D slices based on a current orientation of a longitudinal axis of the probe and the position information of the probe, a position of the 2D slice within the 3D window changing based on a change in the position information the probe;
• a virtual representation of the probe overlaid onto the 2D slice in the 3D window, the virtual representation of the probe being fixed relative to the 3D window as the display of the 2D slice changes;
• a 3D representation of the target displayed relative to the 2D slice in the 3D window, the 3D representation of the target including an upper portion located above the 2D slice within the 3D window and a lower portion located below the 2D slice within the 3D window;
• and
• a watermark displayed against the 3D representation of the target in the 3D window.