Patent ID: 9552663
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: G06T

Claim:
1. A method for generating images including one or more anatomical objects imaged in a volume data set comprising the steps: obtaining volume data from a 3D or 4D ultrasound imaging system, wherein said volume data represents structures inside a body of a subject; mapping data values of selected positions in said volume data to a color and opacity; obtaining at least one predetermined tissue similarity value for the selected positions in said volume data, wherein the tissue similarity value is associated with a specific tissue or structure, said tissue similarity value being based on at least the following feature volumes including a first feature volume consisting of the volume data values, where the specific tissue is identified by data values above a specific threshold, and a second feature volume consisting of a structural measure, where the specific tissue is characterized by structures that are non-flat, the structural measure being based on structure tensor associated with a number of eigenvalues and non-flatness is determined based on difference between the two largest eigenvalues; modifying opacity for each particular selected position based on the predetermined tissue similarity value; and generating one or more images including the selected positions representing the selected tissue or structure.