Patent ID: 7689261

Claim:
A method for generating views of a heart, said method comprising: scanning a patient's heart using an imaging scanner to generate a multi-phase axial cardiac dataset; transferring the multi-phase axial cardiac dataset to a computer; receiving a selection of a heart phase from a user at the computer, said selection comprising at least one of a systole phase and a diastole phase; segmenting a left cavity volume image of the heart from the multi-phase axial cardiac dataset; calculating an axis of inertia of the segmented left cavity volume image; automatically generating, based on the calculated axis of inertia, at least one of a long axis orientation image and a short axis orientation image of the heart; and generating an endocardial volume of a left ventricle at an end of the selected phase without further user intervention, wherein the generated volume excludes a plurality of papillary muscles.