Three-dimensional image processing apparatus

• US 4,835,688 A
• Filed: 01/26/1988
• Issued: 05/30/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1987
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimura, Tokunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Atkinson, Charles E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US07/147,495
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 364/413.13, 364/413.22, 378/901, 382/6, 382/27, 367/72
• US Class Current: 345/424
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/008 Specific post-processing after tomographic reconstruction, e.g. voxelisation, metal artifact correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 378/901 Computer tomography program or processor

Abstract

A three-dimensional image processing apparatus includes a first three-dimensional memory for storing first voxel data representing a three-dimensional CT image, a level detector for comparing the first voxel data with CT values of an epidermis, a bone, and a blood vessel, second three-dimensional memories for storing second voxel data (binary) of the epidermis, the bone, and the blood vessel obtained by the level detector, a distance detector for detecting distances between a predetermined projection plane in a three-dimensional space and the second voxel data, a minimum detector for detecting a distance between the projection plane and one of the second voxel data of the epidermis, bone, and blood vessel, which is closest to the projection plane, and a surface image generating circuit for shading minimum values of pixels in the projection plane to generate a surface image. The projection plane in the three-dimensional space is partially moved into a memory space in the second voxel data, thereby simulating a surface image obtained when a three-dimensional CT image is cut.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing first voxel data representing an object in a three-dimensional space;

extracting means for extracting a plurality of second voxel data representing a plurality of tissues from the first voxel data stored in said memory means;

first designating means for designating a predetermined plane in the three-dimensional space as a projection plane;

distance detecting means for detecting distances between pixels in the projection plane and voxels in each of said plurality of second voxel data;

second designating means for designating a predetermined range in the projection plane as a cutting area;

third designating means for designating a cutting depth in the cutting area;

distance correcting means for correcting the distances detected by said distance detecting means in accordance with the cutting depth;

minimum distance detecting means for detecting a minimum value of the distances between the pixels in the projection plane and the voxels in each of said plurality of second voxel data; and

surface image generating means for generating a surface image in accordance with the minimum value of the distances of the pixels in the projection plane obtained by said minimum distance detecting means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising simulating means for simulating cutting of the object in the three-dimensional space by changing a position of the projection plane, a size of the cutting area, and the cutting depth.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said distance correcting means corrects the distances by subtracting the cutting depth from the distances detected by said distance detecting means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said extracting means compares the first voxel data with specific threshold values of a plurality of tissues and forms a plurality of binary second voxel data.

5. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing voxel data representing a three-dimensional object;

extracting means for extracting sectional data representing axial, coronal, and sagittal images from the voxel data stored in said memory means; and

means for affine-transforming the sectional data extracted by said extracting means and three-dimensionally combining the affine-transformed sectional data based on a view direction, thereby generating a volume multi-plane reconstruction image.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said extracting means comprises:

designating means for designating a cutting area and a cutting depth; and

means for extracting a section including an edge of the cutting area and a section located at the cutting depth.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising display means for displaying the volume multi-plane reconstruction image and the axial, coronal, and sagit-tal sectional images in a multi-frame manner.

8. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing first voxel data representing an object in a three-dimensional space;

first extracting means for extracting a plurality of second voxel data representing three-dimensional objects of a plurality of tissues from the first voxel data stored in said memory means;

designating means for designating a predetermined plane in the three-dimensional space as a projection plane;

distance detecting means for detecting distances between pixels in the projection plane and voxels in each of said plurality of second voxel data;

surface image generating means for generating surface images of the second voxel data in accordance with the distances of the pixels obtained by said distance detecting means;

second extracting means for extracting sectional data representing axial, coronal, sagittal images from the first voxel data stored in said memory means;

volume multi-plane reconstruction image generating means for affine-transforming the sectional data extracted by said second extracting means and three-dimensionally combining the affine-transformed sectional data based on a view direction, thereby generating a volume multi-plane reconstruction image; and

display means for displaying the surface images of the second voxel data and the volume multi-plane reconstruction image in a multi-frame manner.