CPC A61B 18/1492 (2013.01) [A61B 6/12 (2013.01); A61B 6/4441 (2013.01); A61B 6/481 (2013.01); A61B 6/504 (2013.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.02); A61B 90/39 (2016.02); A61B 2018/00404 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00577 (2013.01); A61B 2034/2065 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3966 (2016.02)] | 19 Claims |
1. A method of positioning an energy delivery device, comprising:
imaging at least one radiopaque device that comprises a radiopaque marker carried by the energy delivery device, positioned in at least one of a patient's azygos vein or an intercostal vein, relative to a portion of a spine, using a radiographic imaging device, to thereby characterize a position of the patient's azygos vein relative to a midline of the spine;
determining whether the azygos vein is centered, left-biased or right biased with respect to the midline of a vertebra based on one or more images generated by said radiographic imaging device; and
subsequent to determining whether the azygos vein is centered, left-biased or right biased with respect to the midline of the vertebra, in the patient whose azygos vein is determined to be left-biased with respect to the midline of the vertebra and not centered or right biased with respect to the midline of the vertebra, positioning a distal end of the energy delivery device in the intercostal vein and positioning the radiopaque marker at the midline of the vertebra.
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