Patent ID: 8233962

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for imaging in an interventional medical procedure using an imaging system including a rotatable arm including a radiation emitting device located towards one end of said rotatable arm and a detector device located towards the opposite end of said rotatable arm, said detector device acquiring radiation emitted by the emitting device and having passed through a patient, the method comprising: (a) storing a plurality of 2D anatomical images of a region of interest in a patient's body acquired at different rotatable arm angles and angular data identifying individual respective angles of said rotatable arm at which corresponding 2D anatomical images are acquired; (b) receiving user entered data selecting an optimal image from said plurality of 2D anatomical images in response to presenting data to a user identifying to said user said plurality of 2D anatomical images and associated corresponding rotatable arm angles; (c) moving a radiation source and detector to a pre-stored angular position associated with said selected optimal image using said angular data; (d) constructing a composite image comprised of the selected optimal 2D image and a live 2D image without performing 3D image reconstruction, wherein said live image comprises a medical device displayed in real-time; (e) displaying said composite image, wherein said composite image comprises data identifying a displayed angular position and orientation of said medical device relative to said selected optimal anatomical image of said region of interest of said patient.