Patent Document ID: 8874191
Application ID: 12833152
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for graphically assisting navigation of a medical instrument in a magnetic resonance device within a medical procedure region in a patient in the magnetic resonance device, comprising: operating the magnetic resonance device with the patient therein to obtain a high-contrast image data set representing said procedure region, said high-contrast image data set being acquired in a magnetic resonance device coordinate system associated with the magnetic resonance device; supplying said high-contrast image data set to a computerized processor and, in said computerized processor, automatically determining, from said high-contrast image data set, coordinates of a target, in said magnetic resonance device coordinate system, to be reached by the instrument in said procedure region, said coordinates of said target being selected from the group consisting of a target position and a target region; obtaining instrument-representing data representing said instrument during movement of said instrument in said procedure region toward said target by operating said magnetic resonance device to intermittently or continuously acquire low-contrast image data representing said instrument during movement of said instrument in said procedure region toward said target; supplying said low contrast data representing said instrument to said computerized processor and, in said processor, automatically generating a low-contrast image therefrom in which said instrument, and said target at said coordinates of said target, are visualized; and at a display device in communication with said computerized processor, visually displaying said low-contrast image to show said instrument relative to said coordinates of said target.