Method and apparatus for catheter guidance using a combination of ultrasound and x-ray imaging

A method for positioning a guide wire within a subject, the method comprising:

• displaying a static X-ray image comprising at least a tip of a guide wire and vessels indicated by contrast;
• displaying a live ultrasound image comprising at least the tip of the guide wire and at least a portion of the vessels;
• identifying the guide wire on both the X-ray image and the ultrasound image;
• and
• indicating movement of the guide wire on the X-ray image based on movement of the guide wire detected in the ultrasound image.

An apparatus for positioning a guide wire within the vasculature of a subject, the apparatus comprising:

• an X-ray detector configured to detect X-rays that are generated by an X-ray tube and transmitted through the subject;
• an ultrasound probe comprising a position sensor;
• at least one display configured to display a static contrast-enhanced X-ray image detected by the X-ray detector and a real-time ultrasound image acquired by the ultrasound probe, the X-ray image and the ultrasound image displaying at least a portion of a guide wire;
• and
• a registration module configured to register the X-ray and ultrasound images with respect to each other based on a point identified in each of the X-ray and ultrasound images, the display further configured to display an indication of movement of the guide wire on the X-ray image based on movement of the guide wire detected within the ultrasound image.