Patent Document ID: 20110123070
Application ID: 12626268
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method of determining a radial distance (R), an angular position (φ), and a axial position (Z) of a marker identified in a sequence of projection images, the method executed by an imaging system including a scanner, a computer with an electronic processing unit, and a memory module storing a marker three-dimensional localization module executable by the electronic processing unit, the method comprising: obtaining, at the computer, a sequence of images based on image data generated by the scanner, each image in the sequence of images representing an angle of rotation by the scanner and including a marker point position with a first value in a first dimension tangential to a circle of rotation of the scanner and a second value in a second dimension parallel to an axis of rotation of the scanner; analyzing, with the electronic processing unit, a behavior of the first values of the marker point positions through the sequence of images to determine the radial distance of the marker and the angular position of the marker; and analyzing, with the electronic processing unit, a behavior of the second values of the marker point positions through the sequence of images to determine the axial position of the marker.