Method of registering surfaces using curvature

• US 6,298,148 B1
• Filed: 03/22/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Cline, Harvey Ellis, Lorensen, William Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAKHJAVAN, SHERVIN K
• Application Number:
  US09/274,010
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/106, 382/108, 382/128, 382/173, 382/180, 382/181, 382/209, 382/276, 382/282, 382/283, 382/293, 382/294, 382/295, 735/96, 736/40
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/50 Lighting effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/80 Shading

Abstract

A patient surface is registered with a model surface based on curvature by acquiring patient range data and determining the curvature of the patient surface based on the range data. The patient surface is generated and shaded based on the curvature. A model surface is generated from image data and processed to determine the curvature of the model surface. The model surface is shaded to represent the curvature. The shaded patient surface and the shaded model surface are aligned in registration with each other by manipulating the patient surface and/or the model surface until the curvature features coincide.

Claims

1. A method for registering surfaces comprising:

acquiring a first surface from a body to be imaged, said first surface having a curvature;

acquiring a second surface from said body;

determining a first curvature of said first surface, wherein the step of determining a first curvature comprises determining a mean curvature, wherein, in a Cartesian coordinate system, said mean curvature is represented as

2. The method for registering surfaces of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a second curvature includes the step of processing said second surface with marching cubes.

3. The method for registering surfaces of claim 1 wherein said first surface represents a patient and is generated from patient range data.

4. The method for registering surfaces of claim 3 wherein said second surface represents a patient and is generated from image data.

5. The method for registering surfaces of claim 3 wherein said second surface represents a patient and is generated from image data.

6. A method for registering surfaces comprising:

acquiring a first surface from a body to be imaged, said first surface having a curvature;

acquiring a second surface from said body;

determining a first curvature of said first surface, wherein the step of determining a first curvature comprises determining a Gaussian curvature, wherein said Gaussian curvature is represented as;

7. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for registering surfaces comprising instructions for causing a computer to implement a method of:

acquiring a first surface from a body to be imaged, said first surface having a mean curvature wherein, in a Cartesian coordinate system, said mean curvature is represented as

8. The storage medium of claim 7 wherein said medium is adapted to determine said second curvature by processing said second surface with a marching cubes process.

9. The storage medium of claim 7 where in said first surface represents a patient and said storage medium includes instructions for causing the computer to generate said first surface from patient range data.

10. The storage medium of claim 9 wherein said second surface represents a patient and said storage medium includes instructions for causing the computer to generate said second surface from patient range data.

11. The storage medium of claim 7 wherein said second surface represents a patient and said storage medium includes instructions for causing the computer to generate said second surface from patient image data.

12. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for registering surfaces comprising instructions for causing a computer to implement a method of:

acquiring a first surface from a body to be imaged, said first surface having a Gaussian curvature, wherein said Gaussian curvature is represented as