Patent ID: 7397934

Claim:
A process for registering an anatomical image of the thorax and abdomen of a patient with a functional image of the thorax and abdomen of the patient comprising the steps: a. obtaining an anatomical image of the thorax and abdomen of the patient using an X-ray, computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or ultrasound scan, b. obtaining a functional image of the thorax and abdomen of the patient using a positron emission tomography or single photon emission transmission computerized tomography scan, the functional image containing functional and anatomical features, c. extracting the anatomical features of the anatomical and functional images, d. registering the anatomical and functional images by a process comprising the step: 1. transforming the anatomical and functional images using nonrigid B-Spline free form deformations using the anatomical features extracted from the anatomical and functional images to compensate for largest deformations, and 2. maximizing information from either the anatomical or functional image contained in either the anatomical or functional image using normalized mutual information.