Patent Document ID: 6055449
Application ID: 08935270
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for detection and localization of a surgical device in a radiographic image of said surgical device, comprising the steps of: generating a radiographic image, including an image of a surgical device and an anatomical background image; moving said device rotatably through k positions; generating a number k of radiographic images respectively corresponding to said k positions; subtracting each image I.sub.k from at least its two preceding images so as to generate at least two difference images (I.sub.k -I.sub.k-1) and (I.sub.k -I.sub.k-2); deriving the mathematical intersection of all of said difference images; and thereby obtain a resulting image containing only the image of said device on said radiographic image I.sub.k without said anatomical background image.