METHODS FOR USING RADIAL ENDOBRONCHIAL ULTRASOUND PROBES FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION OF IMAGES AND IMPROVED TARGET LOCALIZATION

A method, including obtaining at least one preoperative image from an imaging modality; identifying, on the at least one preoperative image, at least one element located within an area of interest; obtaining at least one intraoperative image; highlighting the at least one element on the at least one intraoperative image; navigating a radial endobronchial ultrasound probe to the area of interest using the at least highlighted at least one element; acquiring a plurality of radial endobronchial ultrasound images; extracting a plurality of two-dimensional representations of the element, each of the plurality of two-dimensional representations of the element being extracted from a corresponding one of the plurality of radial endobronchial ultrasound images; reconstructing a three-dimensional representation of the element from the plurality of two-dimensional representations of the element; and projecting a two-dimensional projection of the three-dimensional representation of the element on at least one of the at least one intraoperative image.