Method and apparatus for video presentation from scanner imaging sources

Claims

I claim:

1. An apparatus for generating a presentation of images from a variety of imaging sources, the apparatus comprising:

means for acquiring a plurality of images from a plurality of separate imaging sources;

means for converting said plurality of images into a selected format;

means for storing said plurality of images;

means for selectively recalling and displaying at least two images of said plurality of images upon a single display device;

means for manipulating at least one of said at least two images independently of the other image;

means for comparing said at least two images;

means for determining stereotactic coordinates and performing volumetric determinations from said at least two images; and

means for determining distances and areas from said at least two images.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for acquiring a plurality of images comprises means for acquiring body part-related images with at least one of said images being of an actual patient's body part.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for acquiring body part-related images comprises means for acquiring brain-related images with at least one of said images being of the actual patient's brain.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for acquiring said brain-related image further comprises means for obtaining at least one image from a brain map atlas.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said brain map atlas comprises a composite of brain maps.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for manipulating at least one of said at least two images comprises means for manipulating said image from the brain map atlas to conform to said image of the patient's brain.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising means for displaying a representation of the patient's brain selected from the group consisting of anatomical configurations, physiological configurations, electrophysiological configurations, and combinations thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for determining distances and areas comprises means for obtaining within the actual patient's brain, the distance between two points within the patient's brain and the area of a selected portion of the patient's brain.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for determining distances and areas comprises means for obtaining within the actual patient's brain, the volume of a selected part of the patient's brain.

10. The invention of claim 9 further comprising means for simulating a surgical device and determining trajectory of said device comprising:

means for locating the target point on an image of the patient's brain;

means for intersecting said target point by deriving the anterior-posterior and lateral angles of the device, wherein said angles are derived by using a stereotactic device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means for intersecting said target point comprises means for deriving azimuth and declination angles of said stereotactic device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said azimuth and declination angles are derived using said stereotactic device.

13. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for manipulating said images further comprises means for manipulating and swapping brain anatomical images in frontal, sagittal and horizontal sections.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said image acquiring means comprises means for obtaining at least one said image directly from at least one imaging source without the use of magnetic transport media.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said image acquiring means comprising media means for obtaining at least one said image by the use of magnetic transport.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said image acquiring means comprises a direct coaxial link with at least one imaging source.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at