System and method for image registration

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for providing augmented reality to a surgeon with the steps of acquiring at least one preoperative medical scan image of a region of interest in which the surgery is to be performed and introducing a fiducial device non-invasively or minimal invasively into a body lumen present in the region of interest of a patient. The fiducial device will be in particular introduced into a lumen, which can be clearly identified in the medical scan image. The fiducial device is adapted to emit infrared light either by using infrared light source or by using fluorescent material placed in or in the fiducial device ad to be excited by illumination light or exciting light. After acquiring at least one imaging light live image and one infrared live image the tissue structure of the body lumen with the fiducial device placed therein is clearly detectable within the live image and can reliably registered and matched to the scan image for presenting the overlaid images and to the surgeon.