INTRAOPERATIVE C-ARM FLUOROSCOPE DATAFUSION SYSTEM

摘要

In one form of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for producing a virtual road map of a patient's vascular anatomy for use by a surgeon while conducting a procedure on the patient's vascular anatomy, which comprises a Virtual Road Mapping System, which is adapted to produce a 'virtual road map' image of the patient's vascular anatomy without requiring the use of a contrast agent. The present invention uses data from pre-acquired Computer Tomography (CT), CT-angiography or Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) to generate virtual images of the patient's blood vessel anatomy, and these virtual images are merged with the actual images from the fluoroscope so as to provide a composite view. This composite view essentially forms a virtual road map for the surgeon.