Claims
- 1. A method for diagnosing the condition of certain internal portions of the human anatomy comprising:
- a. implanting n fiducial implants in spatial relationship, where n.gtoreq.4 and is an integer, on a portion of the anatomy to be diagnosed;
- b. taking a first series of images at parallel cross-sectional slices of fixed thickness of the portion of the anatomy to be diagnosed;
- c. choosing 3 of the n implants to form a plane;
- d. reformatting the images formed by said slices to be parallel to the plane formed by said fiducial implants;
- e. taking a second series of images of parallel cross-sectional slices of the portion of the anatomy to be diagnosed;
- f. reformatting the images formed by said second series to be parallel to the plane formed by said fiducial implants; and
- g. comparing the images formed by said first series of slices with the images created by the said second series of slices to determine any differences for the purpose of diagnoses.
- 2. A method for providing comparable images over time of a portion of the anatomy having n fiducial implants, where n.gtoreq.4 and is an integer, comprising the steps of:
- taking a first series of cross-sectional image slices of the portion of the anatomy at a first time period, said first series of image slices being taken through at least one of said fiducial implants, said n fiducial implants being spaced at given positions in the anatomy;
- taking a second series of cross-sectional image slices of the portion of the anatomy at a second time interval;
- reformatting at least one image slice of the anatomy formed from the second series of image slices taken at the second time period to provide a substantially identical cross-section of the anatomy as that shown in at least one image slice from the first series of image slices taken at the first time period.
- 3. The method for providing related images according to claim 2 including after the step of taking a first series of image slices the steps of defining an internal coordinate system with respect to the n fiducial implants, and determining the position of the internal coordinate system relative to the first series of cross-sectional engaging slices; and
- wherein the step of reformatting includes reformatting the second series of image slices taken at the second time period so that positions and directions of the second series of images slices correspond with positions and directions of the first series of image slices taken at said first time period.
- 4. A method for providing comparable images of a portion of anatomy having n fiducial implants, where n.gtoreq.4 is an integer, comprising the steps of:
- a. taking a cross-sectional image slices of the portion of the anatomy during a first time period; and
- b. reformatting an image of a specified view of the portion of the anatomy with respect to an internal coordinate system defined by 3 of the n implants.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 119,353, filed Nov. 10, 1987.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0955916 |
Sep 1982 |
SUX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
Winter et al., "Microwave Hyperthermia for Brain Tumors", Neurosurgery, vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 387-399 (1985). |
"A Dedicated CT System for the Sterotactic Operating Room", by L. Lunsford, Appl. Neurophysiol. 45: 374-378 (1982). |
"A Sterotaxic Apparatus for Intracerebral Surgery", by Lars Leksell, Dept. of Neurotraumatology, Serafimerlasarettet, Stockholm. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
119353 |
Nov 1987 |
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