Patent US 8,535,337

Improved methods and apparatuses for inserting pedicle screws in accordance with embodiments of the present invention include an image correction algorithm. In various embodiments, an original image of a region of interest of a patient including a pedicle is created with an X-ray emitter and an X-ray detector. Due to the X-ray emitter not being aligned orthogonal to the X-ray detector, the original image will be skewed. Using a known location and orientation of the X-ray detector, a location and orientation of the X-ray emitter provided by a position monitoring system, and the original image, a processing system can execute the image correction algorithm to provide a corrected image to allow a surgeon to properly insert a pedicle screw along the axis of the pedicle while viewing an accurate corrected image in real time.