Patent ID: 8484001

Claim:
A method of image manipulation in an imaging apparatus for preoperative planning and simulating of an orthopedic surgical procedure to be performed on an anatomical structure, the planning being carried out on medical images that are direct images of the anatomical structure to be operated on, the method comprising inter alia: a. providing a real dimension unit in said imaging apparatus, said real dimension unit defining an absolute length, thereby to provide said absolute length to appear in an image alongside said anatomical structure of a patient to be operated on to provide an image defining a calibration of the imaged anatomical structure alongside said anatomical structure of the patient to be operated on; b. obtaining and displaying in said imaging apparatus the obtained direct medical images of the anatomical structure along with said calibration from said real dimension unit, prior to said orthopedic surgical procedure; c. applying a non-linear imaging-device specific correction function to said direct medical images, to reduce device-specific distortion in said direct medical images, and thereby form corrected medical images; d. creating a mathematical relationship between respective ones of said corrected medical images which are different projections of a view, thereby to allow three-dimensional assessment of said corrected medical images; e. using said real dimension unit calibration and said mathematical relationship, determining from said corrected medical images an extent of trauma present in said anatomical structure; f. segmenting the corrected medical images of the anatomical structure to be operated on into longitudinal structural segments in said imaging apparatus prior to said orthopedic surgical procedure, said longitudinal structural segments being in an original arrangement over said anatomical structure, the anatomical structure comprising bones and the segmentation comprising longitudinal structural segmentation of the image of the bone to be operated on, to form independently movable bone longitudinal structure part image segments to represent said trauma present in said bones; and g. using the segmented medical image in said imaging apparatus, said segmented image comprising said calibrated imaged anatomical structure of said patient to be operated on, planning, directly on said movable bone longitudinal structure part image segments of said bones to be operated on, a result of the orthopedic surgical procedure to be performed on the anatomical structure to reduce said trauma present in said bone, by rearranging of said movable bone longitudinal structure part image segments of said bones from said original arrangement to simulate said result within said anatomical structure and producing calibrated output images comprising said movable bone longitudinal structure part image segments rearranged to reduce said trauma, said rearranged movable bone longitudinal structure part image segments providing said preoperative planning.