Patent ID: 7372983
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A method of analyzing an object data set in which a tubular structure having a plurality of branches and bifurcations occurs, wherein said object data set assigns data values to positions in a multi-dimensional space, which data values relate to an object to be examined, said method comprising the steps of: finding the extremities of the branches of said tubular structure, forming a skeleton of branches and bifurcations by a peeling step, forming directional graphs for the branches of said skeleton between two neighboring bifurcations or between a bifurcation and an extremity based on said skeleton, assigning a label to the positions along the directional graphs, wherein for each branch of each directional graph a unique label is selected, determining the geometry of the branches and bifurcations of said tubular structure so that positions can be classified as belonging to either a bifurcation or a branch, and assigning a final label to the positions along the branches and of the bifurcations of said tubular structure, wherein for each branch and each bifurcation a unique label is selected, and wherein the geometry of the branches and the bifurcations is determined on the basis of branch spheres and bifurcation spheres resulting in the position and shape of the bifurcations and adjacent branch regions.