Abstract: The invention is directed to a medical therapeutic and/or diagnostic apparatus having a function unit (1) and a position detecting device (5). A further detecting device (7) is mounted so as to be fixed in position and orientation and is separated from the position detecting device (5) by a signal path. The position detecting device (5) operates together with the additional detecting device (7). The position detecting device (5) can be changed during operation with respect to position and orientation relative to the function unit (1).

Abstract: The invention is directed to a medical therapeutic and/or diagnostic apparatus having an function unit (1) and a position detecting device (5). A further detecting device (7) is mounted so as to be fixed in position and orientation and is separated from the position detecting device (5) by a signal path. The position detecting device (5) operates together with the additional detecting device (7). The position detecting device (5) can be changed during operation with respect to position and orientation relative to the function unit (1).

Abstract: In an operation microscope (1) with an integrated navigation system (3), the control of the navigation system (3) takes place by means of an operating unit (5, 7, 9) that can be operated directly from the operation microscope (1) and which acts on a navigation system control menu (11) that is reflected into the visual field of the operation microscope (1).

Abstract: A medical therapeutic and/or diagnostic appliance includes an arrangement that senses a position and attitude at any given time, and that includes a first sensing unit on the therapeutic and/or diagnostic appliance and a second sensing unit having a fixed location and attitude and arranged to be separated from the first sensing unit by a signal path. The first sensing unit is constructed, for reasons of sterilization and of position sensing, as an attachment that can be detached from the medical therapeutic and/or diagnostic appliance when in use. A coupling device is provided on the medical therapeutic and/or diagnostic appliance for installation of the attachment over a sterilizing sheath surrounding the therapeutic and/or diagnostic appliance.

Abstract: In a procedure for correlating different coordinate systems in computer-supported, stereotactic surgery, without the use of additional referencing markers, partial topographical information is collected by means of a surgical microscope mounted on a carrier system, and this partial topographical information is spatially correlated with the diagnostic data generated prior to surgery using a suitable correlation algorithm.

Abstract: A stereotactic adapter on which a surgical therapeutic and/or diagnostic instrument is reproducibly mounted and attached to a surgical microscope that can be positioned in several spatial degrees of freedom. A position recognition system integrated in the surgical microscope permits safe positioning of the instrument used, given the geometric arrangement and the geometric dimensions of the surgical microscope, the adapter, and the instrument.

Abstract: For the use of an Operation Microscope, in computer-supported stereotactic surgery, a set of preoperative diagnostic data of a patient is first generated by means of an image-forming preoperative diagnostic procedure. The surgeon then plans the operation path on a central control unit and determines which of the stored diagnostic images are to be reflected into the observation optics of the operation microscope. During the operation, the operation microscope, arranged on a motorized support system, is caused to travel in a motorized manner along the established operation path, and the diagnostic images corresponding to the prior selection are selectively reflected into the observation optics of the operation microscope without a correlation having to be carried out of the respective individual coordinate systems.

Abstract: A stand is provided for mounting various loads and is balanced at least partially automatically. The stand includes a plurality of interconnected elements defining one or more axes about which the stand is movable. An open-loop or closed-loop control circuit is provided for at least one of the axes and detects the unbalanced state about the one axis. The control circuit allows a torque compensating device to operate on the one axis until a state of equilibrium is obtained.