Patent Document ID: 20080207997
Application ID: 12022620
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for continuous guidance of endoscopy during a live procedure, comprising the steps of: a) providing a precomputed data-set based on 3D image data, the data-set including reference information representative of a predefined route through a body organ to a final destination; b) displaying a plurality of live real endoscopic (RE) images as an operator maneuvers an endoscope within the body organ; c) presenting information, corresponding to an initial reference location along the predefined route, which enables an endoscope operator to move the endoscope toward the reference location; d) invoking a registration/tracking algorithm that registers the data-set to one or more of the RE images and continuously maintains the registration as the endoscope is locally maneuvered; e) presenting information, corresponding to another reference location along the predefined route, which enables the endoscope operator to move the endoscope close to this new reference location; f) repeating steps d)-e) a plurality of times until the endoscope is within the vicinity of the final destination; and g) presenting additional information related to the final destination on a reference location, which enables the endoscope operator to decide on the final maneuver for the procedure.