Patent ID: 6135946
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of examining a region interior to a patient during an interventional procedure by means of an endoscope provided with an image pick-up apparatus comprising:recieving image data generated separately from the interventional procedure and relating to the region to be examined,recieving image information from the region to be examined by means of the image pick-up apparatus of the endoscope,updating the image data by taking into account tissue displacements, tissue displacements being derived by comparing imaging positions of anatomic landmarks in the recieved image data with measured positions of the anatomic landmarks in the region,measuring the position and/or orientation of the endoscope relative to the region to be examined,transforming the updated image data according to the measured position and/or orientation of the endoscope so that the transformed updated image information, andderiving combined image information from the image pick-up apparatus and the transformed-updated image data.