Pathway planning system and method

1. A system for planning a pathway through an anatomical luminal network of a patient, the system comprising:

memory storing a computer program configured to analyze and manipulate CT images;

a processor configured to execute the computer program; and

a display device configured to display a user interface of the computer program, the user interface comprising:

an airway finder window displaying a volumetric view of the anatomical luminal network including a target, the volumetric view rotatable about a pre-defined axis of rotation to assist a user in identifying an airway of the anatomical luminal network in proximity to the target, wherein the pre-defined axis of rotation extends outside of the airway of the anatomical luminal network and as the volumetric view of the anatomical luminal network is rotated about the pre-defined axis a simulated CT image of the anatomical luminal network depicting a slice of the volumetric view along the pre-defined axis of rotation is displayed.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined axis of rotation is an axis defined from the target to a portion of a trachea in the anatomical luminal network.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined axis of rotation is an axis defined by a pathway from the target to a waypoint.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined axis of rotation is an axis defined by a pathway from a first waypoint to a second waypoint.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the user interface further comprises a rotation interface configured to identify an amount of rotation of the volumetric view about the pre-defined axis of rotation relative to an initial rotational orientation of the volumetric view.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

receive an input from the user identifying a location of a perceived airway;

generate a new waypoint at the location of the perceived airway; and

output the new waypoint for display on the user interface.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to:

generate a pathway from at least one of the target or a previous waypoint to the new waypoint; and

output the pathway for display on the user interface.

8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to:

automatically complete a pathway from the new waypoint to an entry point of the anatomical luminal network and output the automatically completed pathway for display on the user interface.

9. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the user interface is configured to permit the user to identify the location of a perceived airway in the simulated CT image.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the perceived airway is depicted as an area of darkness in the simulated CT image.

11. A method for planning a pathway through an anatomical luminal network of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

defining an axis of rotation, from a target to a known airway of the anatomical luminal network, wherein the axis of rotation extends outside of an airway of the anatomical luminal network;

rotating a CT image about the axis of rotation such that a non-displayed airway of the anatomical network becomes a displayed airway of the anatomical network;

receiving an input from a user indicating a location for a new waypoint in an airway of the rotated CT image based on the displayed airway of the anatomical network; and

generating a new pathway from the target to the new waypoint.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of defining the axis of rotation includes defining the axis of rotation from a target to a portion of a trachea in the anatomical luminal network and wherein the step of generating the new pathway includes generating the new pathway from the target to the new waypoint.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of defining the axis of rotation includes defining the axis of rotation along a pathway from the target to a waypoint and the step of generating the new pathway includes generating the new pathway from the waypoint to the new waypoint.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of defining the axis of rotation includes defining the axis of rotation along a pathway from a first waypoint to a second waypoint and the step of generating the new pathway includes generating the new pathway from the second waypoint to the new waypoint.

15. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the step of:

automatically completing a pathway from the new waypoint to an entry opening of the anatomical luminal network if the new waypoint is disposed within a known airway of the anatomical luminal network.