Method of performing intraoperative navigation

1. A method of performing intraoperative navigation during a surgical procedure, which method comprises the steps of:

arranging a video imaging device on a radioscopic imaging apparatus being a C-arm, the radioscopic imaging apparatus having a radioscopic imaging unit with a central image axis separate and different from a central image axis of the video imaging device, the central image axis of the radioscopic imaging unit and the central image axis of the video imaging device subtending a fixed angle relative to one another;

obtaining an initial radioscopic image of a target and identifying a desired trajectory in the target;

determining a first position of the radioscopic imaging apparatus relative to the target for which the central image axis of the radioscopic imaging unit is aligned with the desired trajectory;

moving the radioscopic imaging apparatus to align the central image axis of the video imaging device with the desired trajectory; and

showing a live video feed of the surgical procedure on a monitor and overlaying a radioscopic image in the live video feed to track the position of a surgical object relative to the desired trajectory.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the desired trajectory is indicated in the live video feed.

3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step of overlaying a visual alignment aid in the live video feed.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the visual alignment aid is centered on a point corresponding to an intersection of the desired trajectory with a video image plane.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the desired trajectory is performed on the basis of the initial radioscopic image of the target by inputting information via a graphical user interface.

6. The method according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of bringing the radioscopic imaging apparatus into the first position, generating a radioscopic image, and overlaying the radioscopic image in the live video feed.

7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising an initial calibration step to define a position of the video imaging device in a coordinate system of the radioscopic imaging apparatus.

8. A system for performing intraoperative navigation during a surgical procedure, which intraoperative navigation system comprises

a radioscopic imaging apparatus being a C-arm comprising a radioscopic imaging arrangement;

a video imaging device arranged on the radioscopic imaging apparatus at a fixed position relative to the radioscopic imaging unit, the video imaging device having a central image axis separate and different from a central image axis of said radioscopic imaging apparatus, and the central image axis of the radioscopic imaging unit and the central image axis of the video imaging device subtending a fixed angle relative to one another;

a computation unit adapted to determine a first position of the radioscopic imaging apparatus for which a central image axis of the radioscopic imaging unit is aligned with a desired trajectory previously identified in the target;

a positioning means adapted to move the radioscopic imaging apparatus to align a central image axis of the video imaging device with the desired trajectory; and

a monitor for showing a live video feed of the surgical procedure with a radioscopic image overlaid over the live video feed for tracking a position of a surgical object relative to the desired trajectory.

9. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 8 , comprising a position control unit adapted to generate motion parameters for the positioning means.

10. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 9 , wherein the radioscopic imaging arrangement comprises a radiation source and a radiation detector.

11. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 8 , wherein the radioscopic imaging arrangement comprises a radiation source and a radiation detector.

12. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 8 , wherein the video imaging device is arranged on the radioscopic imaging apparatus at a fixed position relative to the detector.

13. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 8 , comprising an image processing unit adapted to receive video data from the video imaging device.

14. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 13 , wherein the image processing unit is adapted to determine a trajectory point in the live video feed that corresponds to an intersection of the desired trajectory with a video image plane.

15. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 13 , wherein the image processing unit is adapted to overlay a visual alignment aid in the live video feed.

16. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 13 , wherein the image processing unit is adapted to center the visual alignment aid about the trajectory point in the live video feed.

17. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 13 , wherein the image processing unit is adapted to determine a degree of alignment between a surgical implement and the desired trajectory.

18. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 9 , wherein the image processing unit is adapted to overlay a radioscopic image over the live video feed.

19. The intraoperative navigation system according to claim 9 , wherein the image processing unit is adapted to overlay the desired trajectory on a radioscopic image obtained during the surgical procedure.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium that is directly loadable into a memory of a control unit of an intraoperative navigation system and which comprises program elements for performing steps of the method according to claim 1 when the computer program is executed by the control unit of the intraoperative navigation system.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which are stored program elements that can be read and executed by a computer unit in order to perform steps of the method according to claim 1 when the program elements are executed by the computer unit.