Patent ID: 8798720

Claim:
A method for determining a position of a part of a medical instrument provided with an x-ray sensitive sensor in a plane of an x-ray image using an x-ray device, comprising: mechanically scanning by way of a shutter a spatial region in which the medical instrument provided with the x-ray sensitive sensor is located by x-ray radiation emitted from an x-ray beam source of the x-ray device; arranging an x-ray beam detector opposite and spaced-apart from the x-ray beam source, wherein the medical instrument with the x-ray sensitive sensor is interposed between the x-ray beam source and the x-ray beam detector; while x-ray radiation is emitted by the x-ray beam source, rotating at a constant speed the shutter which is coupled to the x-ray beam source for influencing the x-ray radiation emitted by the x-ray beam source, the shutter having a central axis and wherein said rotating is performed about the central axis of the shutter; detecting the x-ray radiation by the x-ray sensitive sensor; synchronizing the rotation of the shutter to the detection of the x-ray radiation by the x-ray sensitive sensor; automatically determining the position of the part of the medical instrument in the plane of the x-ray image based on the following: φ = t 1 - t 0 τ · 2 ⁢ π , where φ represents an angle of tip of the medical instrument in the plane of the x-ray image, t 0 represents an initial time regarding a constant rotation of the shutter, t 1 represents a time at which x-ray radiation is detected by the x-ray sensitive sensor, and τ represents a period of the constant rotation of the shutter; R = c a · r , wherein R represents radius of the tip of the medical instrument in the plane of the x-ray image, r represents radius on the shutter of the x-ray beam striking the x-ray sensitive sensor, c represents a distance from a focal point of the-ray beam to the x-ray beam detector, and a represents a distance from the focal point of the-ray beam to the shutter; and wherein the medical instrument is inserted into a body of a patient; and overlaying the position of the tip of the medical instrument on the x-ray image for assisting navigation of the medical instrument without registration even if the medical instrument and the x-ray sensitive sensor can not be seen or is difficult to be seen in the x-ray image because of material selection or miniaturization of the medical instrument.