A method of registering two images using a graphics processing unit includes providing a pair of images with a first and second image, calculating a gradient of the second image, initializing a displacement field on the grid point domain of the pair of images, generating textures for the first image, the second image, the gradient, and the displacement field, and loading said textures into the graphics processing unit. A pixel buffer is created and initialized with the texture containing the displacement field. The displacement field is updated from the first image, the second image, and the gradient for one or more iterations in one or more rendering passes performed by the graphics processing unit.