Targeting method, targeting device, computer readable medium and program element

1. A method for targeting a first interventional object of a targeting device to a target point in an object under examination, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving in a processor of the targeting device a first two-dimensional image from an imaging device of a three-dimensional data volume representing the object under examination;

receiving in the processor a target point in the first two-dimensional image;

operating the processor to display an image of the three-dimensional data volume with the selected target point represented as a three-dimensional structure having a distance scale within its image, wherein the three-dimensional data volume is combined with a three-dimensional angiographic volume rendering of the same object under examination;

operating the processor to position the image of the three-dimensional data volume by scrolling and/or rotating about the target point center to make a path of approach crossing the target point having a first direction parallel to an actual viewing direction of the said image of the three-dimensional data volume;

operating the processor to generate a second two-dimensional image out of the three-dimensional data volume wherein a normal of the plane of the second two-dimensional image is oriented parallel to the first direction and crosses the target point;

operating the processor to render the image of the three-dimensional data volume, the three-dimensional structure having a distance scale within its image, and the two-dimensional image under the same perspective, wherein the imaging device is focused on an extension of the path of approach;

moving the first interventional object to target the target point in the object under examination according to the path of approach; wherein the path of approach avoids perforation of any vessel in the three-dimensional angiographic volume rendering.

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

generating a third two-dimensional image out of the three-dimensional data volume, wherein the plane of the third two-dimensional image is oriented parallel to the first direction and crosses the target point.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional images are selected as slices of the three-dimensional data volume of the object under examination.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first interventional object is a needle and the path of approach is the trajectory path of the needle through the object under examination.

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

determining an entry point of the path of approach into the object under examination.

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

projecting the entry point and/or the target point by a three-dimensional sphere in the three-dimensional data volume.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the path of approach is represented as a three-dimensional line.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the target point is represented as a three-dimensional sphere, circle or cross-hair in the three-dimensional data volume.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first two-dimensional image is an cross-sectional view of the object under examination.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the selection of the third two-dimensional image is caused by manually clicking on the representation of the target point.

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

toggling between the third two-dimensional image and the second two-dimensional image and/or the image of the three-dimensional data volume.

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

displaying at least two of the said images to the user in a predefined orientation.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the object under examination is a patient; and wherein the predefined orientation of said images is an axial feet to head multi planar reformat (MPR) rendered cross section out of a 3D reconstructed data volume with no rotation angle around a perpendicular viewing direction of the plane of said images.

14. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising regions of interest in the object under examination that are coloured.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein at least portions of the coloured regions of interest in the object under examination and/or at least portions of the path of approach, the entry point, and the target point which extend apart from the plane of the third two-dimensional image are rendered semi-transparent.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional image is reconstructed out of the three-dimensional data volume recorded by a computer tomography apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional image is recorded by a C-arm device.

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

generating a 2D image showing the planned path and the target point and

overlaying the 2D image on at least one of the two-dimensional images of the object under examination.

19. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising projecting a scale on the path of approach in at least one of the two-dimensional images.

20. A device for targeting a first interventional object to a target point in an object under examination, the device comprising:

a processor that selects from an imaging device a first two-dimensional image of a three-dimensional data volume representing the object under examination, wherein the first two-dimensional image contains a target point;

a display that displays an image of the three-dimensional data volume with the target point;

wherein the processor positions the said image of the three-dimensional data volume by scrolling and/or rotating about the target point center to make a path of approach crossing the target point having a first direction parallel to an actual viewing direction of the said image of the three-dimensional data volume, wherein the processor represents the target point as a three-dimensional object having a distance scale within its image, and wherein the processor combines the three-dimensional data volume with a three-dimensional angiographic volume rendering of the same object under examination;

a generator that generates a second two-dimensional image out of the three-dimensional data volume, wherein a normal of the plane of the second two-dimensional image is oriented parallel to the first direction and crosses the target point;

wherein the processor renders the image of the three-dimensional data volume, the three-dimensional structure having a distance scale within its image, and the two-dimensional image under the same perspective, wherein the imaging device is focused on an extension of the path of approach;

a motor that moves the first interventional object to target the target point in the object under examination according to the path of approach; wherein the path of approach avoids perforation of any vessel in the three-dimensional angiographic volume rendering.

21. A system for targeting a first interventional object in an object under examination, the system comprising:

a radiation source;

a radiation detector; and

a device according claim 20 , wherein the radiation detector records the data representing the three-dimensional data volume.

22. The system according to claim 21 , further comprising: a computer tomography apparatus, wherein the computer tomography apparatus generates the two-dimensional images of the object under examination.

23. A tangible computer readable medium in which a program for targeting a first interventional object to a target point in an object under examination is stored as non-transitory computer data, the program comprising instructions configured to perform a method comprising the following steps:

receiving in a processor of the targeting device providing a first two-dimensional image from an imaging device of a three-dimensional data volume representing the object under examination;

determining a target point in the first two-dimensional image;

operating the processor to display displaying an image of the three-dimensional data volume with the selected target point represented as a three-dimensional structure having a distance scale within its image, wherein the three-dimensional data volume is combined with a three-dimensional angiographic volume rendering of the same object under examination;

operating the processor to position positioning the said image of the three-dimensional data volume by scrolling and/or rotating about the target point center to make a path of approach crossing the target point having a first direction parallel to an actual viewing direction of the said image of the three-dimensional data volume;

operating the processor to generate generating a second two-dimensional image out of the three-dimensional data volume wherein a normal of the plane of the second two-dimensional image is oriented parallel to the first direction and crosses the target point;

operating the processor to render the image of the three-dimensional data volume, the three-dimensional structure having a distance scale within its image, and the two-dimensional image under the same perspective, wherein the imaging device is focused on an extension of the path of approach;

moving the first interventional object to target the target point in the object under examination according to the path of approach; wherein the path of approach avoids perforation of any vessel in the three-dimensional angiographic volume rendering.