A method for interactive percutaneous pre-operational surgical planning implemented on a computer including a display, the method comprising: rendering a three dimensional volume and one or more 3D objects of at least one object type contained in the 3D volume in a 3D scene on a two dimensional computer display screen; receiving a selection of an object type associated with at least one 3D object in the 3D scene; receiving information associated with a 3D location which is specified with respect to a 3D object of an object type rendered in the 3D scene and at which a 3D virtual probe is to be placed; placing the 3D virtual probe at the 3D location; manipulating a 3D pose of the 3D virtual probe in the 3D volume directly through a physical computer input device, the 3D pose being derived from a 2D location on the 2D computer display screen and an operation of the physical computer input device; and generating information about a 3D pose of the 3D virtual probe, wherein manipulating a 3D pose of the 3D virtual probe comprises: moving at least a part of the 3D virtual probe in the 3D volume by allowing a user to, directly through the physical computer input device, grab a first part of the 3D virtual probe and drag the first part of the 3D virtual probe along a direction, and rotating the 3D virtual probe by allowing the user to, directly through the physical computer input device, grab a second part of the 3D virtual probe and rotate the second part of the 3D virtual probe with respect to an end of the 3D virtual probe, and one of the 3D object encloses other 3D objects in the 3D scene. rendering a three dimensional volume and one or more 3D objects of at least one object type contained in the 3D volume in a 3D scene on a two dimensional computer display screen; receiving a selection of an object type associated with at least one 3D object in the 3D scene; receiving information associated with a 3D location which is specified with respect to a 3D object of an object type rendered in the 3D scene and at which a 3D virtual probe is to be placed; placing the 3D virtual probe at the 3D location; manipulating a 3D pose of the 3D virtual probe in the 3D volume directly through a physical computer input device, the 3D pose being derived from a 2D location on the 2D computer display screen and an operation of the physical computer input device; and generating information about a 3D pose of the 3D virtual probe, wherein manipulating a 3D pose of the 3D virtual probe comprises: moving at least a part of the 3D virtual probe in the 3D volume by allowing a user to, directly through the physical computer input device, grab a first part of the 3D virtual probe and drag the first part of the 3D virtual probe along a direction, and rotating the 3D virtual probe by allowing the user to, directly through the physical computer input device, grab a second part of the 3D virtual probe and rotate the second part of the 3D virtual probe with respect to an end of the 3D virtual probe, and one of the 3D object encloses other 3D objects in the 3D scene. moving at least a part of the 3D virtual probe in the 3D volume by allowing a user to, directly through the physical computer input device, grab a first part of the 3D virtual probe and drag the first part of the 3D virtual probe along a direction, and rotating the 3D virtual probe by allowing the user to, directly through the physical computer input device, grab a second part of the 3D virtual probe and rotate the second part of the 3D virtual probe with respect to an end of the 3D virtual probe, and one of the 3D object encloses other 3D objects in the 3D scene.