Patent ID: 7967742

Claim:
A method for improving a diagnostic or surgical procedure involving a variable direction of view endoscope with a variable line of sight comprising: acquiring volumetric scan data of a subsurface structure; positioning said endoscope relative to said subsurface structure; acquiring internal endoscope configuration data; establishing the position of said endoscope relative to said subsurface structure; and based on said volumetric scan data, said endoscope position data, and said internal endoscope configuration data, displaying a graphical model of said subsurface structure reconstructed from said volumetric scan data, a graphical representation of said endoscope relative to said subsurface structure, and a graphical representation of said endoscopic line of sight relative to said subsurface structure and said endoscope; selecting a target point relative to said volumetric scan data; instructing said endoscope to automatically direct its line of sight towards said target point: and updating the display of the relative positions of said endoscope and endoscopic line of sight relative to said graphical model of said subsurface structure as the endoscope automatically directs its line of sight towards said target point.