Target point calculation in the computerized tomography. Comparison of different stereotactic methods

Abstract

The adaptation of computerized tomography for stereotactic operations requires the transformation of the coordinates of the target point from the CT image space into the stereotactic frame space. Two basic solutions for this transformation are realized in the most of the contemporary stereotactical systems. The indirect geometric method adjusts the frame coordinate system mechanically and identifies its origin in the CT image. There are 6 degrees of freedom: 3 of rotation and 3 of translation which have to be taken into consideration. The second method is a based on direct algebraic coordinate transformation and is independent of the explicite knowledge of the relationship between the image and the frame space. A localization frame serves to determine a transformation matrix which, applied to any point in the image, transforms the coordinates directly into the frame coordinate system. Only the algebraic method is independent of the position of the patient in the gantry. All other methods require high mechanical precision of the alignment and stability for the CT table.