Patent ID: 7924279
Filing Date: 2011-04-12
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A system for visualizing a three-dimensional (hereinafter “3D”) volume, in particular for medical applications; the system including: an input for receiving a three-dimensional set of data representing voxel values of the 3D image; a storage for storing the data set; an output for providing pixel values of a two-dimensional (hereinafter “2D”) image for rendering; and a processor for, under control of a computer program, processing the data set to obtain a 2-dimensional representation of the volume by projecting the volume onto an imaginary 2D projection screen from a predetermined viewpoint by for each pixel of the 2D projection image: casting a ray from the viewpoint through the pixel and through the volume; traversing along the ray through at least a plurality of ray positions within the volume under control of a protocol that determines a rendering algorithm and/or rendering parameters in dependence on the ray position with the determined rendering algorithms and/or rendering parameters being different for some ray positions than the determined rendering algorithm and/or rendering parameters for other ray positions; and for each of the plurality of ray positions using a corresponding one of the determined rendering algorithms/parameters to calculate a contribution to a pixel value of the pixel based on at least one voxel value with a predetermined range of ray positions, wherein the protocol is rule-based; wherein a rule prescribes for each of the plurality of ray positions at least one processing action at least in dependence on processing results of ray position along the ray that already been processed wherein the processing action includes at least one of the following: