A system for planning minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) for a patient, comprising: a medical imaging system for generating acquisition data; an image generation subsystem for receiving said acquisition data and generating one or more images of the coronary arteries and the left ventricle of the patient using one or more optimized 3D protocols for automated image segmentation of a CT image dataset for identifying the orientation, size and any anomalies of the coronary arteries and left ventricle, said 3D protocols being further optimized to generate navigator views of the coronary arteries to assess the size and extent of the lesions therein; an operator console for identifying one or more anatomical landmarks on said one or more images and an associated display screen (120, 132) for viewing said one or more images; a workstation including post processing software including one or more optimized 3D protocols and short axis protocols using the automated image segmentation of the CT image dataset for the left ventricle anatomy, movement of left ventricle walls during systole, epicardial fat location, location of viable tissue, blood vessels and their branches and orientation; said post processing software being configured to export 3D models of the thoracic wall and ventricle surfaces in order to register saved views of said 3D models using a workstation of an interventional system; and wherein said interventional system is configured for visualizing one or more of said registered saved views therewith, quantifying distance and location information for a cardiac point of interest, and identifying an incision location and path for MIDCAB based on said quantified distance and location information for said cardiac point of interest. a medical imaging system for generating acquisition data; an image generation subsystem for receiving said acquisition data and generating one or more images of the coronary arteries and the left ventricle of the patient using one or more optimized 3D protocols for automated image segmentation of a CT image dataset for identifying the orientation, size and any anomalies of the coronary arteries and left ventricle, said 3D protocols being further optimized to generate navigator views of the coronary arteries to assess the size and extent of the lesions therein; an operator console for identifying one or more anatomical landmarks on said one or more images and an associated display screen (120, 132) for viewing said one or more images; a workstation including post processing software including one or more optimized 3D protocols and short axis protocols using the automated image segmentation of the CT image dataset for the left ventricle anatomy, movement of left ventricle walls during systole, epicardial fat location, location of viable tissue, blood vessels and their branches and orientation; said post processing software being configured to export 3D models of the thoracic wall and ventricle surfaces in order to register saved views of said 3D models using a workstation of an interventional system; and wherein said interventional system is configured for visualizing one or more of said registered saved views therewith, quantifying distance and location information for a cardiac point of interest, and identifying an incision location and path for MIDCAB based on said quantified distance and location information for said cardiac point of interest.