Registration of CT image onto ultrasound images

Abstract

Embodiments for registering a CT image onto ultrasound images are disclosed. At a preoperative stage, a plurality of first ultrasound images are formed during a respiratory cycle and a CT image is obtained at the maximum inspiration. The CT image is registered onto each of the ultrasound images to thereby form ultrasound-CT registered images. The ultrasound-CT registered images may be stored in the storage unit. Subsequently, at an intraoperative stage, a plurality of second ultrasound images may be sequentially formed in real time. Similarities may be measured between the first ultrasound images and the second ultrasound images, and the ultrasound-CT registered images, each corresponding to each of the first ultrasound images having highest similarity to the second ultrasound image may be retrieved. The retrieved ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image may be displayed at the same time.