Patent ID: 7892224

Claim:
A method for determining and representing at least one of possible entry and target areas for positioning catheters in an area of a patient's body on the basis of at least one of functional data, structural data and anatomical data of the area, comprising the steps of: indicating, via a data input device communicatively coupled to a processor, at least one of a) at least one catheter entry area and b) at least one catheter target area; determining, using the processor, at least one of a) at least one catheter target area and b) at least one catheter entry area, wherein said at least one catheter target are is determined based on i) the at least one indicated catheter entry area, and ii) specified catheter positioning guidelines and at least one of the functional data, structural data, and anatomical data of the area, and wherein said at least one catheter entry area is determined based on i) the at least one indicated catheter target area, and ii) specified catheter positioning guidelines and at least one of the functional data, structural data, and anatomical data of the area; representing by the processor via a display device, at least one of the functional data, structural data, and anatomical data with at least one of a) the indicated catheter entry area and the at least one determined catheter target area; and b) the at least one indicated catheter target area and the at least one determined catheter entry area; and wherein the catheter positioning guidelines comprise at least one of i) distances between the catheter or the catheter tips or the catheter delivery sections and the surface of the area, ii) distances between a number of catheters or catheter tips or catheter delivery sections, and iii) distances between the catheters or the catheter tips or the catheter delivery sections and particular tissue sections.