Registration of three-dimensional image data to 2d-image-derived data

A method for obtaining registration of a three-dimensional pre-operative image data set of an anatomical vessel tree with corresponding intra-operative image data reconstructed from two-dimensional images of the vessel tree obtained in an X-ray imaging system, where the method comprises:

• the user identifying at least one pair of points on an anatomical vessel on at least two X-ray image planes;
• the user identifying two similar points on the surface of the corresponding three-dimensional anatomical image data;
• determining the orientation direction of the vessel from the two user identified image data surface points, and determining the orientation direction of the vessel from the two points obtained from the X-ray image planes, and
• calculating a transformation of the three-dimensional image data to obtain a best fit registration of the direction derived from the image surface points with the direction derived from the X-ray image data points.

A method for obtaining registration of a three-dimensional image data set with the two-dimensional image data set of an X-ray imaging system, the method comprising:

• identifying two points on an anatomical vessel on at least two X-ray image planes;
• processing the three-dimensional image data to obtain a rendering of the anatomical vessel surfaces;
• identifying two similar points on the vessel surface from the corresponding three-dimensional anatomical image data on the vessel;
• determining a centerline of the rendered three-dimensional vessel from the identified surface points;
• defining a rotation matrix for performing a transformation of the three-dimensional centerline points onto the two-dimensional vessel points identified in the X-ray image planes;
• and
• calculating a best fit rotation matrix using a minimized cost function to obtain a registration of the three-dimensional anatomical image data set with the two-dimensional X-ray imaging system data.