IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM

• US 20080297509A1
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ziosoft, Inc. (NantWorks, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ziosoft, Inc. (NantWorks, LLC)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Kazuhiko
• Application Number:
  US12/127,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297509A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/424
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering

Abstract

In an image processing method of visualizing information of a living body near an imaginary path, the image processing method includes: creating a cylindrical cross-sectional image on a cylindrical cross section defined by a reference distance from the imaginary path; creating a cylindrical projection image according to said imaginary path; combining the cylindrical cross-sectional image and the cylindrical projection image; and displaying the combined image.

Claims

1. An image processing method of visualizing information of a living body near an imaginary path, said image processing method comprising:

creating a cylindrical cross-sectional image on a cylindrical cross section defined by a reference distance from the imaginary path;

creating a cylindrical projection image according to said imaginary path;

combining the cylindrical cross-sectional image and the cylindrical projection image; and

displaying the combined image.

2. The image processing method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining said reference distance from the path;

acquiring a position on a circumference of a circle determined by the reference distance from the imaginary path on a plane crossing the imaginary path;

determining whether a voxel of said position represents opacity or transparency;

if said voxel represents the opacity,

acquiring a first pixel value from said voxel; and

using the first pixel value to create the cylindrical cross-sectional image, and

if said voxel represents the transparency,

acquiring a second pixel value by projecting a virtual ray passing through said position; and

using the second pixel value to create the cylindrical projection image.

3. The image processing method of claim 1, wherein the imaginary path is provided along a central path of a curved tubular tissue, and wherein

the cylindrical projection image is generated by projecting a virtual ray from the central path.

4. The image processing method of claim 2, further comprising:

varying the reference distance through a GUI.

5. The image processing method of claim 2, further comprising:

finding the reference distance in response to a position on the imaginary path.

6. The image processing method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

determining the reference distance in response to a direction from the imaginary path.

7. An image-analysis apparatus storing a program for executing an image processing method of visualizing information of a living body near an imaginary path, said image processing method comprising:

creating a cylindrical cross-sectional image on a cylindrical cross section defined by a reference distance from the imaginary path;

creating a cylindrical projection image according to said imaginary path;

combining the cylindrical cross-sectional image and the cylindrical projection image; and

displaying the combined image.

8. The image-analysis apparatus of claim 7, wherein said image processing method further comprises:

determining said reference distance from the path;

acquiring a position on a circumference of a circle determined by the reference distance from the imaginary path on a plane crossing the imaginary path;

determining whether a voxel of said position represents opacity or transparency;

if said voxel represents the opacity,

acquiring a first pixel value from said voxel; and

using the first pixel value to create the cylindrical cross-sectional image, and

if said voxel represents the transparency,

acquiring a second pixel value by projecting a virtual ray passing through said position; and

using the second pixel value to create the cylindrical projection image.

9. The image-analysis apparatus of claim 8, wherein said image processing method further comprises:

finding the reference distance in response to a position on the imaginary path.

10. The image-analysis apparatus of claim 8, wherein said image processing method further comprises:

determining the reference distance in response to a direction from the imaginary path.