An improved algorithm for intraoperative registration of computed tomographic left atrial images

Although anatomically accurate and highly detailed, preoperative computed tomographic (CT) images of the left atrium (LA) are of limited utility for guiding catheter navigation, in part because of changes in LA shape which occur between preoperative and intraoperative settings. Such changes may produce errors in spatial juxtaposition, or 'registration', of the CT image to the intraoperative environment. The goal of this study was to assess a new algorithm for CT image registration.