Patent ID: 7796131

Claim:
A method of virtual endoscopy for medical 3D image display and processing, the method comprising: providing a first evaluation volume on the basis of a 3D data volume; providing, by at least one processing device, an observer path through the first evaluation volume; determining whether a boundary for the first evaluation volume is identifiable; automatically ascertaining, if the boundary for the first evaluation volume is identifiable, at least one further evaluation volume on the basis of the 3D data volume according to predetermined criteria, the predetermined criteria being at least one of geometric and medical criteria of at least one further evaluation volume, and the at least one further evaluation volume being separate from the first evaluation volume; sorting a number of further evaluation volumes and options using the predetermined criteria and according to the likelihood that the further evaluation volume belongs to the same volume of interest (VOI) as the first evaluation volume; and provisioning a further observer path through the at least one further evaluation volume; wherein if the boundary for the first evaluation volume is not identifiable, an original observer path through the medical 3D image is followed, the geometric criteria relate to at least one of size, orientation, and shape of the further evalution volume, and the medical criteria relate to at least one of type and surface condition of the further evaluation volume.