Patent ID: 8824759

Claim:
A computer-implemented process of reorienting a three-dimensional (3D) scan image of an object, said object having a generally flat surface, said image being constructed from image data obtained during rotation of said object about a rotation axis, said rotation axis intersecting the plane of said flat surface at an angle, said process comprising: obtaining two-dimensional (2D) axial slices of said scan image, each representing a slice of said object that is perpendicular to said rotation axis and comprising a line representing said flat surface of said object; shifting said 2D axial slices relative to each other to align lines representing said flat surface in different ones of said 2D axial slices; forming a reoriented 3D image comprising said 2D axial slices with lines representing said flat surface aligned by said shifting; presenting a representation of said reoriented 3D image to a user; and calculating said angle, from said lines representing said flat surface in different ones of said 2D axial slices; wherein said calculating comprises fitting said positions of said lines to a linear line and calculating an angle between said linear line and said rotation axis.