OPTIMIZING SPINE SCREW PLACEMENT

A method for optimization of spine screw placement in a spine of a patient. The method includes a) for a first entry point, defining a first plurality of primary rays; b) eliminating each of the first plurality of primary rays that intersects a boundary of one or more vertebrae of the spine model; c) defining a plurality of parallel rays disposed circumferentially around, and extending parallel to, the associated primary ray at a predetermined radius therefrom; d) iteratively adjusting a length of the plurality of parallel rays associated with each of the first set of optimized screw trajectories until an optimized length is determined; e) presenting a list of the first set of optimized screw trajectories for the first entry point; and f) implanting a spine screw in a vertebra of the patient corresponding to a selected one of the first set of optimized trajectories.