Correlated image mapping pointer

A method for visualizing an image registration mapping, said method comprising:

• receiving a first image including a first coordinate frame and a second image including a second coordinate frame that is different from the first coordinate frame;
• obtaining an image registration mapping from the first image to the second image;
• displaying the first image adjacent to the second image;
• obtaining one or more reference image locations, each defined in the coordinate frame of one of the first image and the second image;
• highlighting each reference image location on the one of the first image and the second image;
• highlighting a correlated image location for each reference image location in the other one of the first image and the second image, wherein the correlated image locations are determined using the image registration mapping;
• wherein when the image registration mapping is in the coordinate frame of the one of the first image and the second image, the image registration is calculated based on one of the equations
• Py=(Px+IRM)XImagex*TImagey;
• or
• Py=(Px*XImagex*TImagey)+IRM;
• wherein Py is a position of one of the first or second images, Px is a position in the other of the first or second images, IRM is the image registration mapping, XImagex is the coordinate frame of the other of the first or second images, and TImagey is a transformation from the coordinate frame of the one of the first and second images to the coordinate frame of the other of the first and second images.

A system for visualizing an image registration mapping, the system comprising:

• one or more computer processors programmed to:
• receive a first image, including a first coordinate frame, generated at one time and a second image, including a second coordinate frame that is different from the first coordinate frame, generated at another time;
• determine an image registration mapping between the first image and the second image;
• display the first image and the second image on a display device;
• and,
• in response to a point on one of the first and second displayed images being denoted, indicating a corresponding point on the other of the first and second displayed images;
• wherein the image registration mapping includes at least one of:
• multiplying a transformed coordinate frame of a non-selected one of the first and second images to the sum of the image registration mapping and the reference image location of a selected one of the first and second images;
• and
• multiplying a transformed coordinate frame of a non-selected one of the first and second images by the reference image location of a selected one of the first and second images and then adding the image registration mapping thereto.