Localization of a radioactive source within a body of a subject

Abstract

A system and method is provided for guiding the navigation of intravascular medical tools. The system can include a display device operable to store information relating to a 3-dimensional model of a portion of vasculature of a body in a region of the body and operable to store information relating to a 3-dimensional position of a tool, where the tool is located within the portion of the vasculature of the body. In addition, the display device can be operable to display a graphical representation of the 3-dimensional model and a graphical representation of the tool visually integrated with the graphical representation of the 3-dimensional model. Furthermore, the display device can be operable to update at least the graphical representation of the tool based at least in part upon updated information relating to the 3-dimensional position of the tool.

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A method for guiding the navigation of intravascular medical tools, the method comprising:
 obtaining information relating to a 3-dimensional position of a tool;
 wherein the tool is located within a vasculature of a body; and 
 wherein the tool and a portion of the vasculature is located within a region of the body; 
   displaying a graphical representation of a 3-dimensional model of the portion of the vasculature in the region;   displaying a graphical representation of the tool, the displayed graphical representation of the tool visually integrated with the displayed graphical representation of the 3-dimensional model based at least in part upon the information relating to the 3-dimensional position of the tool; and   updating at least the displayed graphical representation of the tool based at least in part upon updated information relating to the 3-dimensional position of the tool.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the 3-dimensional model of the portion of the vasculature in the region of the body is generated, at least in part, from a 3-dimensional image dataset of the region of the body. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the 3-dimensional image dataset is at least one of: a CT image dataset, an MRI image dataset, and a fluoroscopy 3D angiography image dataset. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein obtaining information relating to the 3-dimensional position of a tool comprises obtaining position data from a tool tracking system. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the tool tracking system is at least one of: a radioactive tracking system, an RF tracking system, a magnetic tracking system, an optical tracking system, an ultrasound tracking system, a video-based tracking system, an x-ray-based tracking system, a fluoroscopy-based tracking system, a magnetic resonance tracking system, and an MR gradient field tracking system. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein updating at least the displayed graphical representation of the tool based at least upon updated information relating to the 3-dimensional position of the tool is performed at least 10 times per second 
     
     
         40 . A system for guiding the navigation of intravascular medical tools, the system comprising:
 a display device operable to store information relating to a 3-dimensional model of a portion of vasculature of a body in a region of the body and operable to store information relating to a 3-dimensional position of a tool;   wherein the tool is located within the portion of the vasculature of the body;   wherein the display device is operable to display a graphical representation of the 3-dimensional model and a graphical representation of the tool visually integrated with the graphical representation of the 3-dimensional model; and   wherein the display device is operable to update at least the graphical representation of the tool based at least in part upon updated information relating to the 3-dimensional position of the tool.