1. A cortical surface registration procedure related to a diagnostic or surgical procedure, comprising: (a) pre-operatively obtaining a first textured point cloud of the cortical surface of a targeted region of a brain of a living subject; (b) intra-operatively obtaining optically a second textured point cloud of the cortical surface of the brain of the living subject; (c) aligning the first textured point cloud of the cortical surface to the second textured point cloud of the cortical surface so as to register images of the brain of the living subject to the cortical surface of the living subject; and (d) generating an image of the registered images, wherein at least the second textured point cloud contains intensity patterns representing sulcal-gyrus differences and contrast-enhanced vasculature related to the cortical surface of the brain of the living subject.