Patent ID: 7300398

Claim:
A method for registration of virtual endoscopic images, said method comprising: deriving first and second volumetric images by an endoscopic protocol and representing said images by respective first and second volumetric image data sets; deriving respective centerline representations by connected line components; resampling said connected line components to provide respective first and second sample sets; computing a descriptor for each sample set; computing a similarity matrix using distances between said descriptors; and determining an optimal set of point correspondences between said first and second sample sets by application of a minimization algorithm to said similarity matrix, wherein said step of resampling comprises: selecting a number N of sampling points on said respective connected line components; computing a length of said connected line components; dividing said length by N−1 to derive a computed value; and resampling each of said connected line components at respective new sampling points such that an arc-length between said new sampling points corresponds to said computed value.