Patent ID: 8335357

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: a memory unit which stores data of a first projection image and data of a second projection image which are related to the same object and different imaging directions; a display unit which displays the data of the first projection image and the data of the second projection image; a designation operation unit which is configured to designate a plurality of points on the displayed first and second projection images; and an operation supporting unit which generates operation supporting information for supporting an operation of designating, by the designation operation unit, a plurality of points on the second image, which anatomically correspond to the plurality of points designated on the first projection image, wherein said operation supporting unit generates an epipolar line superimposed on the second projection image as the operation supporting information, the epipolar line is a line of suggested points on the second projection image corresponding to a point designated on the first projection image, a position of the epipolar line is determined based on imaging angles of the first and second projection images and a position of the point designated on the first projection image, the epipolar line defines a boundary for the suggested points on the second projection image such that the suggested points are restricted to a position on the epipolar line, wherein said operation supporting unit generates a corresponding epipolar line, which is displayed in a superimposed manner on the second projection image, in response to a selection of a particular point of the plurality of points on the displayed first projection image, and wherein said operation supporting unit generates a different epipolar line, which is displayed in a superimposed manner on the second projection image in place of a previously displayed epipolar line, in response to a selection of a different point of the plurality of points on the displayed first projection image.