Patent ID: 9443303
Filing Date: 2016-09-13
CPC Classification: A61B,G06F,G06T,G16H

Claim Text:
1. A method for determining a centerline of a tubular structure using a processor of a computing device, comprising: receiving, at a computing device, volumetric data representative of the tubular structure and a selection of a first point and a second point along a length of the tubular structure; initializing a minimal range of data values associated with a cross section of the tubular structure; iteratively generating positions associated with two discrete curves from each point toward the other point, the positions initially moving along a direction vector defined at each point, the iteratively generating comprising: increasing the range of data values for a next iteration; and terminating the iterative process when a length of a joined curve is longer than a joined curve of the previous iteration, the joined curve of the previous iteration corresponding to the centerline, otherwise returning to iteratively generating positions; and displaying, in a user interface associated with the computing device, a visual representation of the tubular structure and the centerline in a human comprehensible format.