Patent ID: 8547377

Claim:
A projection image generation apparatus for generating a projection image by processing three-dimensional image data obtained by reconstructing multiple two-dimensional images, the apparatus comprising: a first projection target determination means for determining first three-dimensional image data to be projected from the three-dimensional image data; a first projection image generation means for generating a first projection image by projecting the first three-dimensional image data in a first projection direction by maximum intensity projection or minimum intensity projection; a first coordinate specifying means for specifying a first coordinate position in the first projection image; a second projection target determination means for determining second three-dimensional image data to be projected from the three-dimensional image data; a second projection image generation means for generating a second projection image by projecting the second three-dimensional image data in a second projection direction different from the first projection direction; and a second coordinate display means for displaying a second coordinate position, in the second projection image, obtained by projecting a first voxel in the three-dimensional image data, which corresponds to the pixel at the first coordinate position in the first projection image, onto the second projection image in the second projection direction, wherein the second projection image generation means is a means that generates a projection image by maximum intensity projection, wherein the second coordinate display means is a means that, when the first voxel and a second voxel in the three-dimensional image data corresponding to the pixel at the second coordinate position in the second projection image are different, indicates that the first voxel and the second voxel are different, and wherein the second coordinate display means displays a marker at the second coordinate position, and displays the marker in a different manner in the case that the first voxel and the second voxel are different.