3D volume construction from DICOM data

• US 20060056680A1
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Parellel Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Parellel Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chun, Won-Suk, Napoli, Joshua, Stutsman, Sandy
• Application Number:
  US10/939,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056680A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2012 Colour editing, changing, or manipulating; Use of colour codes

Abstract

Systems and methods for constructing a 3D volume from digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) data are provided. This 3D volume is part of a volume rendering pipeline. The 3D volume is accessible by volume rendering software for display on a 3D display device. A lookup table is used to adjust intensity values of voxels in the 3D volume.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A system for constructing 3D volumes from medical image data, comprising:

means for loading a data set into a memory of a computing device; and

means for constructing a 3D volume from said data set, said 3D volume being in a format for rendering at least a portion of said 3D volume to a 3D display device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for adjusting an intensity of at least one voxel in said 3D volume.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a user interface including an intensity and threshold selection in communication with said means for adjusting.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a user interface including a load selection for initiating said means for loading.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a 3D display device for displaying said 3D volume.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a browser for locating said medical image data set.

25. A method for constructing 3D volumes from medical image data comprising:

collecting image data in a medical image data set on a storage device;

forming said data into a 3D volume in a memory of a computing device;

displaying said 3D volume.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said image data includes a plurality of slices

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining a range of intensity values for each voxel in said 3D volume;

receiving an adjustment of at least a portion of said intensity values; and

applying said adjustment to said 3D volume.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said adjustment includes at least one threshold.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said forming includes resolving missing data in said data set.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein resolving missing data includes receiving user input.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein resolving missing data includes providing defaults.

32. A storage medium, comprising:

machine-readable instructions for causing a computing machine to perform a method for constructing 3D volumes from medical image data, the method comprising;

collecting image data in a medical image data set on a storage device;

forming said data into a 3D volume in a memory of a computing device;

displaying said 3D volume.

33. The storage medium of claim 32 wherein the forming further includes:

converting pixels in a medical image data set to voxels;

determining an intensity value range for each voxel;

holding said intensity value ranges in a lookup table;

forming a 3D volume, said 3D volume having voxels; and

applying an intensity value to said 3D volume.

34. The storage medium of claim 32, further comprising:

loading said medical image data set.

35. The storage medium of claim 33, further comprising:

reformatting said medical image data set.

36. The storage medium of claim 32, further comprising:

receiving user input to adjust at least one value range of at least one voxel.

37. The storage medium of claim 34, further comprising:

adjusting said 3D volume according to said user input by applying said intensity value, without re-converting pixels to voxels.