Mapping disease spread

1. A method for mapping a patient's lymphatic system, the method comprising:

generating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a bronchial network in a chest of the patient based on first image data of the chest of the patient;

generating a lymphatic tree map by fitting a model lymph node map to the 3D model;

receiving locations of a plurality of identified lymph nodes;

updating the lymphatic tree map by correlating the locations of the plurality of identified lymph nodes with the lymphatic tree map;

displaying the updated lymphatic tree map;

receiving second image data of the chest of the patient;

identifying a radiopaque element injected into a target in the second image data;

determining a distribution path from the target based on the radiopaque element identified and the lymphatic tree map as updated;

identifying a sentinel lymph node based on the distribution path;

displaying the sentinel lymph node identified on the lymphatic tree map as updated;

identifying a lymph node in the distribution path a predetermined distance from the sentinel lymph node; and

displaying the lymph node identified on the lymphatic tree map as updated.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lymph nodes are identified based on image processing of the first image data.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lymph nodes are identified based on electromagnetic sensor (EM) data received from an EM sensor coupled to a tool being navigated about the chest.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lymph nodes are identified based on return signals received from a linear ultrasound scope.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising identifying a lesion in the 3D model.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the target is a lymph node proximate the identified lesion.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element is one of:

radio-tagged whole blood from the patient;

a collagen tracer; and

a radiation tracer.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance is at least about 5 cm.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance is between about 7 cm and about 10 cm.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lymph node identified is a lymph node with at least three other lymph nodes between the lymph node identified and the sentinel lymph node.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining areas to which spread may occur based on the sentinel lymph node identified and the distribution path; and

displaying the areas to which spread may occur on the lymphatic tree map as updated.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the model lymph node map is International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) lymph node map.