Patent ID: 7321677

Claim:
A system for imaging an artery contained in an arterial tree, the artery having an axis, comprising: a a microprocessor configured to aa generate a three-dimensional reconstruction of the arterial tree from two or more angiographic images of the arterial tree obtained from different perspectives, wherein said images are produced by taking images after moving the angiographic source and detector into a required orientation defined by said different perspectives relative to a subject's body; ab determine an orientation of the axis of the artery in the arterial tree; ac calculate from the three-dimensional reconstruction of the arterial tree at least two perspectives of the artery perpendicular to the axis of the artery; ad obtain at least one angiographic image at each of the calculated perspectives from the previously obtained images if images were taken at the calculated perspectives, or by obtaining additional images that are produced by taking images after moving the angiographic source and detector into a required orientation defined by said calculated perspectives relative to the subject's body, if images taken at the calculated perspectives are not available from the previously obtained images; and ae generate a three dimensional reconstruction of the artery from angiographic images obtained essentially from the calculated perspectives.