Abstract: A method for automatically planning a transthoracic route from a candidate location on the skin of a patient to a target nodule in the patient on which to perform a procedure. The method comprises identifying a plurality of candidate skin locations on the skin of the patient and automatically computing a route to the target nodule from each candidate skin location. A score is automatically computed for each candidate skin location based on (a) route characteristics, (b) procedural parameters, and (c) obstacle clearance along the route. Related systems are also described.

Abstract: A method for correcting location of a virtual target in a patient during a live procedure comprises segmenting the organ and the real target from an initial pre-procedure image data set; receiving a live procedure image data set of the patient including the organ and the real target and camera tracking information; registering the initial pre-procedure image data set and the live image data set; determining a candidate location of a virtual target for the real target based on the initial registration; generating a first image at a first view angle showing the virtual target and the real target; adjusting the candidate location of the virtual target to match the actual location of the real target in the first image; and computing a corrected location for the virtual target based on the adjusting step. Related systems are disclosed.