System and method to register a tracking system with intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) imaging system

A system to navigate an image-guided object comprising a tracking element and a transducer array configured to travel in an area of interest of an imaged subject in relation to an acquired image of the imaged subject, comprising:

• a four-dimensional (4D) imaging system comprising the image-guided object and configured to acquire first image data, the 4D imaging system further configured to use the first image data to create a 4D model representative of a time-dependent three-dimensional spatial model correlated to a time interval and defined in spatial relation and orientation relative to a first image coordinate system defined by a predetermined spatial relation and orientation of the first image data relative to the transducer array, wherein the time interval is one of a cardiac cycle or a respiratory cycle;
• a tracking system comprising sensors, the tracking system configured to track movement and orientation of the image-guided object through the imaged subject relative to a tracking coordinate system defined by the spatial relations and orientations of the sensors to the tracking element and to time;
• and
• a second imaging system different than the image-guided object, the second imaging system configured to acquire second image data, the second imaging system configured to use the second image data to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the imaged subject correlated to a second image coordinate system defined by a spatial relation and orientation of the second image data correlated to a phase of the cardiac cycle or a phase of the respiratory cycle;
• a controller electrically connected in communication with the 4D imaging system, the second imaging system, and the tracking system, the controller having a processor configured to:
• correlate the 4D model to a world coordinate system, the step of correlating further comprising:
• performing a first registration of first image coordinate system with the tracking coordinate system;
• and
• performing a second registration of the tracking coordinate system with a world coordinate system, wherein the world coordinate system defines a spatial orientation of image pixels or voxels within a display;
• register the 4D model correlated with the world coordinate system to the 3D model, the step of registering further comprising:
• allowing a user to select a series of anatomical landmarks within the 3D model displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI);
• and
• allowing the user to select a series of anatomical landmarks within a portion of the 4D model acquired in the phase of cardiac or respiratory cycle that corresponds to the phase of cardiac or respiratory cycle of the 3D model based on a time reference, the GUI configured to allow the user to select the series of anatomical landmarks within the 4D model;
• and
• combine the first image data of the 4D model and the second image data of the 3D model according to the series of anatomical landmarks selected within the 3D and 4D models.