Patent ID: 7961924

Claim:
A method of estimation of three-dimensional localization information for a medical device distal end utilizing a two-dimensional X-ray projection image, the method comprising: identifying the three-dimensional location of a base point from which a length of medical device bends, and a three dimensional orientation vector for the device at the base point; defining a bending plane in which the medical device is contained; identifying the location and orientation of the end of the medical device as projected onto a X-ray projection image; determining a line between the X-ray source and X-ray imaging plane for use in estimating the three-dimensional location of the end of the medical device; defining an expected two-dimensional orientation of the end of the medical device projected onto the X-ray projection image, as a function of the length of the medical device; determining a value of the length of the medical device that minimizes the deviation between the identified two-dimensional orientation of the end of the medical device as projected onto the X-ray projection image and the expected two-dimensional orientation calculated as a function of the length of the medical device; and determining a point on the line between the X-ray source and X-ray imaging plane that minimizes the distance between the line and a three-dimensional location of the end of the medical device calculated as a function of the selected value of the length of the medical device, to obtain a refined estimated three-dimensional location of the end of the medical device.