System and method for stereotactic registration of image scan data

A method of determining the positional relationship of a surgical instrument with respect to a subject patient's anatomy comprising the steps of:

• designating at least one index location for detection in relation to the subject patient's anatomy and the surgical instrument;
• storing three dimensional image scanner data representative of the subject patient's anatomy in scanner-data coordinates and referenced to said at least one index location;
• determining, using a camera system, the position of said surgical instrument in detector coordinates relative to the subject patient's anatomy based on said at least one index location and represented by surgical instrument data;
• correlating the surgical instrument data and the image scanner data representative of the subject patient's anatomy to a compatible coordinate system;
• combining said surgical instrument data and said image scanner data in said compatible coordinate system to provide display signals;
• and
• driving a computer graphics display with said display signals to display said surgical instrument in relation to said subject patient's anatomy.

A system using designated index locations, for indicating positional relationships of an object field including a surgical instrument as related to a subject patient's anatomy represented by image-scanner data, said system comprising;

• a memory for storing said image-scanner data representing the subject patient's anatomy and referenced in scanner-data coordinates to said designated index locations;
• a camera apparatus for optically sensing said object field from plural different fields of view to provide location data comprising first data associated with said designated index locations and second data associated with said surgical instrument;
• a computer graphics apparatus for transforming at least one of sad location data and said image-scanner data to provide said image-scanner data and said location data in compatible coordinates;
• an image generator for combining said image-scanner data and said location data to form combined display data;
• and
• a display unit for receiving said combined display data to provide an image display including the subject patient's anatomy.

A system using designated index locations, for indicating positional relationships of an object field including a surgical instrument as related to a subject patient's anatomy represented by image-scanner data, said system comprising:

• a memory for storing said image-scanner data representing the subject patient's anatomy and referenced in scanner-data coordinates to said designated index locations;
• a camera apparatus for sensing plural fields of view of said object field for tracking said surgical instrument in said fields of view relative to said designated index locations, said camera apparatus providing location data relating said surgical instrument to said image scanner data;
• a computer graphics apparatus for transforming data based on said index locations to provide said image-scanner data and said location data in compatible coordinates;
• an image generator for combining said image-scanner data and said location data to form combined display data;
• and
• a display unit for receiving said combined display data to provide an image display including the subject patient's anatomy.