1. A method for registering images, comprising:
obtaining at least one image of a part of the body of the patient in an imaging system;
the imaging system defining an image co-ordinate system;
placing image visible positioning markers at positions on or adjacent the part of the patient so as to be visible in the image;
obtaining a series of location images of one or more elements adjacent part of the patient in an image guidance system for providing location information relating to the elements;
the image guidance system defining a location co-ordinate system;
placing at least one guidance system positioning marker visible in the location image at respective positions on or adjacent the part of the patient so as to be visible in the location image, the image visible positioning markers being located at predetermined known locations relative to said at least one guidance system positioning marker in the image guidance system;
and providing automatic registration between the image co-ordinate system and the location image co-ordinate system by using data relating to the relative positions of the image visible positioning markers and said at least one guidance system positioning marker.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the automatic registration is carried out by a control system from the images, without manual intervention by the user, for each image set acquired
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the image visible positioning markers and said at least one guidance system positioning marker are separate markers independent of one another and are placed on a common registration element.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the common registration element is located underneath the part of the patient such that the element can remain in place during the imaging and the location imaging.
5. The method according to claim 3 wherein the registration element markers are located on the common registration element so as to face upwards on either side of the patient.
6. The method according to claim 3 wherein the common registration element is formed of a plastics material which is not visible in the image with a pattern of drilled holes containing an image visible material.
7. The method according to claim 3 wherein the common registration element is attached to a head fixation device.
8. The method according to claim 3 wherein the common registration element is arranged such that it can be moved into place after the patient is pinned into the head fixation device.
9. The method according to claim 3 wherein the imaging system is an MR system including a posterior RF coil and wherein the common registration element is separate from the posterior coil.
10. The method according to claim 3 wherein the imaging system is an MR system including a posterior RF coil and wherein the common registration element is arranged to clamp onto the posterior coil.
11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the image guidance system comprises a visible optical system using cameras for detecting the positioning markers using visible light.
12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the image visible positioning markers are arranged in a non-regular array.
13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the non-regular array is arranged to allow location of the array relative to the common registration element when only part of the common fixture is visible in the MR image.
14. The method according to claim 12 wherein the non-regular array is different for different ones of a plurality of common registration elements and a determination is made as to the different fixtures by analyzing the array.
15. The method according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a separate fixed reference having a visible positioning marker, the location of which can be determined in the image guidance system, wherein the separate fixed reference is used for the image guidance system rather than the markers after the location of the reference relative to the markers has been determined by the image guidance system and wherein the separate fixed reference remains exposed when the patient is draped for surgery.
16. The method according to claim 1 wherein the MR imaging is carried out intra-operatively to obtain a new MR image and registration of the new MR image with the guidance image is carried out automatically, that is without manual intervention, for each MR image set acquired.
17. The method according to claim 1 wherein the imaging system is an MR system including an RF coil, wherein the RF coil is arranged to flex and wherein the common registration element includes a plurality of flat panels attached to the flex coil.
18. The method according to claim 1 wherein the image visible positioning markers are located in an image of the part of the patient by carrying out at least one separate marker-sensing scan used for locating only, which scan is separate from one or more anatomical scans which are used to generate an anatomical image of the part of the patient.
19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the image is obtained by MR imaging and wherein the separate marker sensing scan is carried out using separate MR coils for the scan.
20. The method according to claim 1 wherein the system uses a number of attachable fiducial markers arranged to be attached to the patient that can each be detected in the imaging system and by the tracking system.
21. The method according to claim 20 wherein there is provided a spacer not visible in imaging to ensure that the image marker is located away from the skin during imaging.
22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the part of the patient remains unfixed during imaging, but the attachable fiducial markers are kept in place between the time of the scan and the time at which the part patient is pinned.
23. The method according to claim 21 wherein the attachable markers are attached to the body of the patient using adhesive or screw into bone.
24. The method according to claim 1 wherein the markers are carried on at least one plate carried on a mounting device which is moved to provide adjustment of the position of the plate relative to patient while holding the plate stationary during the imaging.
25. The method according to claim 24 wherein the plate and the mounting device are removed after imaging.
26. The method according to claim 24 wherein the at least one plate comprises a pair of plates each mounted on a respective side of the patient.
27. The method according to claim 24 wherein the mounting device is removably mounted on a head clamp.
28. The method according to claim 24 wherein the mounting device is mounted on a robotic arm.
29. A method for registering images, comprising:
obtaining at least one image of a part of the body of the patient in an imaging system;
the imaging system defining an image co-ordinate system;
placing image visible positioning markers at positions on or adjacent the part of the patient so as to be visible in the image;
obtaining a series of location images of one or more elements adjacent part of the patient in an image guidance system for providing location information relating to the elements;
the image guidance system defining a location co-ordinate system;
placing at least one guidance system positioning marker visible in the location image at respective positions adjacent the part of the patient so as to be visible in the location image, the image visible positioning markers being located at predetermined known locations relative to said at least one guidance system positioning marker in the image guidance system;
and providing registration between the image co-ordinate system and the location image co-ordinate system by using data relating to the relative positions of the image visible positioning markers and said at least one guidance system positioning marker;
wherein the imaging is carried out intra-operatively to obtain a new image and registration of the new image with the guidance image is carried out automatically, that is without manual intervention, for each image set acquired
30. A method for registering images, comprising:
obtaining at least one image of a part of the body of the patient in an imaging system;
the imaging system defining an image co-ordinate system;
placing image visible positioning markers at positions adjacent the part of the patient so as to be visible in the image;
obtaining a series of location images of one or more elements adjacent part of the patient in an image guidance system for providing location information relating to the elements;
the image guidance system defining a location co-ordinate system;
placing at least one guidance system positioning marker visible in the location image at respective positions adjacent the part of the patient so as to be visible in the location image, the image visible positioning markers being located at predetermined known locations relative to said at least one guidance system positioning marker in the image guidance system;
and providing registration between the image co-ordinate system and the location image co-ordinate system by using data relating to the relative positions of the image visible positioning markers and said at least one guidance system positioning marker;
wherein the image visible positioning markers are located in an image of the part of the patient by carrying out at least one separate marker-sensing scan used for locating only which scan is separate from one or more anatomical scans which are used to generate an anatomical image of the part of the patient.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A method of making (all-rac)–tocopherol in a reaction mixture comprising:
a) reacting trimethylhydroquinone and a phytol selected from the group consisting of isophytol and phytol in the presence of a bis(perfluorinated hydrocarbyl sulphonyl)imide catalyst or a metal salt thereof of formula I:
(R1SO2)2NxR2(I)
wherein
each R1, independently, signifies a perfluoroalkyl group Cn,F2n1or a pentafluorophenyl, or both symbols R1 together signify a poly-difluoromethylene group (CF2)m, with the proviso that both symbols R1 cannot simultaneously signify trifluoromethyl,
R2 signifies a proton or a cationic form of a metal selected from the group consisting of boron, magnesium, aluminium, silicon, scandium, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, rhodium, palladium, silver, tin, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, dysprosium, thulium, ytterbium, hafnium, platinum, and gold,
m is an integer from 2 to 4,
n is an integer from 1 to 10, and
x is the corresponding valency of the proton (1) or the metal cation (1, 2, 3, or 4), in organic solvent; and
b) recovering (all-rac)–tocopherol from the reaction mixture.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic or cyclic ketone, an aliphatic or cyclic ester, and an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of diethyl ketone, isobutyl methyl ketone, cyclopentanone, isophorone, ethyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, -butyrolactone, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, hexane, heptane, octane, benzene, toluene, and xylene.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the bis(perfluorinated hydrocarbyl sulphonyl)imide or metal salt thereof of formula I is present in the reaction mixture at from about 0.01 mole % to about 4 mole % based on the amount of trimethylhydroquinone or phytol present in the reaction mixture, whichever is in the lesser molar amount.
5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising selecting a metal salt of formula I as the catalyst and adding a Bronsted acid as a co-catalyst to the reaction mixture.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the Bronsted acid is selected from the group consisting of sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, and p-toluenesulphonic acid.
7. A method according to claim 5 wherein from about 0.01 mole % to about 0.5 mole % of the metal salt of formula I is added to the mixture.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein about 10 to about 100 ml of organic solvent are added to the reaction mixture per 10 mmol of the phytol.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein about 30 to about 60 ml of organic solvent are added to the reaction mixture per 10 mmol of the phytol.
10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising carrying out the reaction at from about 50 C. to about 150 C.
11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the reaction is carried out at from about 90 C. to about 125 C.
12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the reaction carried out at from about 105 C. to about 120 C.
13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of trimethylhydroquinone to phytol present in the reaction mixture is from about 1.3:1 to about 2.5:1.
14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the molar ratio is from about from about 1.5:1 to about 2.2:1.
15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the molar ratio is about 2:1.
16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the phytol is added portionwise to a suspension or solution of the trimethylhydroquinone and the catalyst.
17. A method according to claim 1 wherein the organic solvent is a biphasic solvent system comprising a non-polar and a polar solvent.
18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the volume ratio of non-polar solvent to polar solvent is from about 0.3:1 to about 5:1.
19. A method according to claim 17 wherein the volume ratio of non-polar solvent to polar solvent is from about 1:1 to about 3:2.
20. A method according to claim 1 further comprising converting the (all-rac)–tocopherol into a salt selected from the group consisting of acetate, succinate, poly(oxyethylene)succinate, and nicotinate.