System and method for predictive fusion

A method, comprising:

• acquiring a live image of a first modality from an imaging device;
• acquiring tracking information from a spatial tracker that indicates a position and orientation of the imaging device;
• and
• determining when the imaging device is in a desired pose relative to a feature in the live image thereby establishing a relationship between a pose of the imaging device to a pose of the feature in a second image of a second modality, wherein determining the imaging device is in the desired pose is based on at least one the tracking information or feature information indicative of the pose of the feature in the second image.

A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that configure a processor to:

• obtain feature information indicative of a feature in a first image of a first modality and a pose of the feature in the first image with respect to a desired pose of an imaging device configured to produce images of a second modality;
• obtain tracking information from a spatial tracker configured to track a position and orientation of the imaging device in space with at least three degrees of freedom;
• and
• determine when the imaging device is aligned with the desired pose based on at least one of a live image produced by the imaging device, the feature information, or the tracking information.