Probe position measurement to facilitate image registration and image manipulation in a medical application

摘要

A method utilizing an imaging probe for registering images associated with a medical image processing application comprises the steps of: (a) providing a local tracking system that generates a field in a local area within which the imaging probe is used; (b) capturing first and second images representing substantially the same object; (c) sensing field emissions from the local tracking system to establish positional coordinates of the imaging probe during image capture; (d) using the positional coordinates to register the first and second images; and (e) utilizing the registered images to determine a characteristic of the object.