Method and system for producing interactive, three-dimensional renderings of selected body organs having hollow lumens to enable simulated movement through the lumen

• US 7,792,565 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Original Assignee: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Inventors: Vining, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shahrestani; Nasir
• Application Number:
  US11/157,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20060023966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 345419-443, 345/581, 345/589, 345/606, 600/407, 600/431, 600/425, 600/410, 600/420
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/027 characterised by the use of a particular data acquisition trajectory, e.g. helical or spiral
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10081 Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10136 3D ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30028 Colon; Small intestine
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30032 Colon polyp
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30064 Lung nodule
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/08 Bandwidth reduction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/41 Medical
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/155 involving morphological operators
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/285 for injections, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, sigmoidscopy, insertion of contraceptive devices or enemas
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A method and system are provided for effecting interactive, three-dimensional renderings of selected body organs for purposes of medical observation and diagnosis. A series of CT images of the selected body organs are acquired. The series of CT images is stacked to form a three-dimensional volume file. To facilitate interactive three-dimensional rendering, the three-dimensional volume file may be subjected to an optional dataset reduction procedure to reduce pixel resolution and/or to divide the three-dimensional volume file into selected subvolumes. From a selected volume or subvolume, the image of a selected body organ is segmented or isolated. A wireframe model of the segmented organ image is then generated to enable interactive, three-dimensional rendering of the selected organ.

Claims

1. A medical system for interactively displaying three dimensional structures from a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three dimensional body, comprising:

a) a data isolator configured to isolate a selected region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the isolated region of interest, wherein the data isolator comprises a thresholder configured to determine threshold values corresponding to the selected the physical property to isolate the selected region of interest; and

b) an image renderer configured to render the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display, wherein the thresholder comprises a threshold range selector configured to select a threshold range corresponding to the selected values of the physical property representing the region of interest and a threshold adjustor configured to adjust threshold values to establish the threshold range for isolating the region of interest.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the threshold adjustor comprises:

a) an orthoslice generator configured to provide an orthoslice through the volume of data; and

b) a display configured to display the orthoslice and a corresponding thresholded image of the orthoslice, so that the threshold values can be adjusted while comparing the thresholded image to the corresponding orthoslice.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the region of interest comprises an air-tissue interface.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the air-tissue interface comprises an air column within a body organ.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the region of interest comprises an air-tissue interface.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the air-tissue interface comprises an air column within a body organ.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, comprising movement simulator configured to simulate movement along a center line through the isolated region of interest.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the movement simulator comprises:

a) a seed point selector configured to determine a seed point that lies within the region of interest;

b) a plane selector configured to determine a plane of minimum area through the region of interest that passes through the seed point; and

c) a center point selector configured to determine the center point of the region of interest that is dissected by the plane of minimum area.

9. A medical system for interactively displaying three dimensional structures from a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three dimensional body, comprising:

a) means for isolating a selected region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the isolated region of interest, wherein the isolation means comprises a threshold means for determining threshold values corresponding to the selected the physical property to isolate the selected region of interest; and

b) means for rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein threshold means comprises:

a) means for selecting a threshold range corresponding to the selected values of the physical property representing the region of interest; and

b) means for adjusting threshold values to establish the threshold range for isolating the region of interest.