3D/2D image registration: the impact of X-ray views and their number

Abstract

An important part of image-guided radiation therapy or surgery is registration of a three-dimensional (3D) preoperative image to two-dimensional (2D) images of the patient. It is expected that the accuracy and robustness of a 3D/2D image registration method do not depend solely on the registration method itself but also on the number and projections (views) of intraoperative images. In this study, we systematically investigate these factors by using registered image data, comprising of CT and X-ray images of a cadaveric lumbar spine phantom and the recently proposed 3D/2D registration method. The results indicate that the proportion of successful registrations (robustness) significantly increases when more X-ray images are used for registration.