Method and system for visualization of volume dataset

• US 20120134560A1
• Filed: 11/27/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AuthenTec Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intrinsic Medical Imaging Inc.
• Inventors: McKenzie, Lee R., McKenzie, Mark C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,379,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/06 Ray-tracing
• 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

Abstract

A machine-implemented display method that, with respect to a volume dataset being rendered, enables a user to navigate to any position in space and look in any direction. Preferably, the volume dataset is derived from a computer tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (RMI) scan. With the described approach, the user can see details within the dataset that are not available using conventional visualization approaches. The freedom-of-motion capability allows the user to go to places (positions) within the volume rendering that are not otherwise possible using conventional “orbit” and “zoom” display techniques. Thus, for example, using the described approach, the display image enables a user to travel inside physical structures (e.g., a patient'"'"'s heart, brain, arteries, and the like).

Claims

1. An article comprising a tangible machine-readable medium that stores a program, the program being executable by a machine to perform a method, comprising:

receiving a volume dataset; and

rendering an image of the volume dataset at a given number of frames per second, each frame of the image having pixels that are uniform, at least two frames of an image sequence having varying resolution, and at least two pixels within a particular frame having a varying number of ray tracing steps.

2. The article as described in claim 1 wherein the volume dataset is received from a medical imaging scan.

3. The article as described in claim 1 wherein the image is rendered from a perspective that is external to the volume dataset.

4. The article as described in claim 1 wherein the image is rendered from a perspective that is internal to the volume dataset.

5. The article as described in claim 1 wherein a size of a step between a pair of samples along a ray associated with a pixel is a function of a value in the volume dataset at each sample point.

6. Apparatus, comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

computer memory holding computer program instructions that, when executed by or in association with the processor, render a 3D image on the display at a frame rate with two frames of an image sequence having varying resolution with respect to one another, and two pixels within a particular frame having a varying number of ray tracing steps with respect to one another.

7. The apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein the image is rendered from a perspective that is external to the 3D image.

8. The apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein the set of images are rendered from a perspective that is internal to the 3D image.

9. The apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein the processor is one of:

a CPU, and a GPU.

10. The apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein the 3D image is one of:

a CT scan, and an MRI scan.

11. A display method, comprising:

receiving a volume dataset; and

rendering, using a processor, an image of the volume dataset from a perspective of a virtual camera, at least two frames of an image sequence having varying resolution with respect to one another, and at least two pixels within a particular frame having a varying number of ray tracing steps with respect to one another.

12. The display method as described in claim 11 wherein the image is rendered from a perspective of the virtual camera that is external to the volume dataset.

13. The display method as described in claim 11 wherein the image is rendered from a perspective of the virtual camera that is internal to the volume dataset.

14. The display method as described in claim 13 wherein an orientation of the virtual camera is adjusted from within a position internal to the volume dataset.

15. The display method as described in claim 11 wherein the volume dataset is received from a medical imaging scan.