A method for manipulating a catheter within a lumen of a body may involve providing a manipulatable catheter system, including a catheter and a controller coupled with the catheter. The method may further involve: displaying an image of at least a distal portion of the catheter on a video display； receiving, via the controller, a user input directing the distal portion of the catheter to articulate； determining a relationship between an articulation plane of the distal portion of the catheter and a viewing plane of the image on the video display； automatically adjusting the catheter, using the controller, to move the articulation plane of the distal portion closer to parallel with the viewing plane of the image, based on the determined relationship； and articulating the distal portion of the catheter, using the controller, based on the user input.
