Patent ID: 7313430

Claim:
A stereotactic navigation system for navigating an instrument to a target site within a patient, said stereotactic navigation system comprising: a stereotactic head frame defining a navigable patient space and configured to be coupled to the patient and used to assist in guiding the instrument to the target site; and a tracking device removably coupled to said stereotactic head frame in one unique location to be used with registration of the navigable patient space and image data of the patient and configured to track the position of the instrument relative to the stereotactic head frame, wherein said tracking device is further configured to be removed from the stereotactic head frame during acquisition of the image data of the patient with the stereotactic head frame; and a coupling device including a first coupling portion defined by said stereotactic head frame and a second coupling portion defined by said tracking device complimentary to said first coupling portion; and a processor system configured to recognize a position and an orientation of the first coupling portion; wherein said tracking device is configured to be removably coupled to said stereotactic head frame at a unique location on said stereotactic head frame; wherein the processor system is further configured to relate the position and orientation of the first coupling portion to a position and orientation of the tracking device to register the navigable patient space to the image data.