Patent Document ID: 20120022544
Application ID: 13094527
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A system for inserting a pedicle screw into a pedicle of a patient, comprising: a manually positionable X-ray emitter adjustable in more than three degrees of freedom, the X-ray emitter including a drill assembly adapted to insert a pedicle screw into a pedicle of a patient along an axis of operation; a generally planar X-ray detector that detects the X-rays from the X-ray emitter, the X-rays oriented along an axis parallel to the axis of operation of the drill assembly, and generates an original image of a region of interest that includes the pedicle when positioned between the X-ray detector and the X-ray emitter; a position monitoring system that monitors a position and an orientation of the X-ray emitter in the more than three degrees of freedom; a processor operably connected to the position monitoring system and the X-ray detector and configured to execute an image correction algorithm, the image correction algorithm operable to provide a corrected image from the original image, the original image of the pedicle skewed when the axis along which the X-rays are emitted is at an angle that is not perpendicular to the X-ray detector relative to an actual appearance of the pedicle from the angle and the corrected image showing the actual appearance of the pedicle; and a video display that displays the corrected image in real-time to a surgeon performing an operation to insert the pedicle screw into the pedicle of the patient.