Patent Document ID: 20090226067
Application ID: 12180692
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for providing an enhanced 3-D image for a volume imaging apparatus comprising: a) obtaining a plurality of 3-D volume images of an object at a first resolution, wherein at least two of the images are obtained at different spatial orientations; b) forming a 3-D matrix of voxels at a second resolution, higher than the first resolution, by iterations of steps in the following sequence: (i) registering two or more of the 3-D volume images that have different spatial orientations and that intersect at the voxel; (ii) mapping the voxel to the 3-D matrix at the second resolution; (iii) executing an inpainting routine that fills in gap regions between mapped voxels in the 3-D matrix; (iv) generating a simulated first-resolution data value according to one or more 3-D matrix voxel values at the second resolution; and (v) comparing the simulated first-resolution data value with an observed first-resolution value from the plurality of 3-D volume images and, until the simulated first resolution data value is within a predetermined threshold value of the observed first-resolution value or until a predetermined number of iterations is reached, adjusting the 3-D matrix voxel values at the second resolution and recomputing the simulated first-resolution data value from (iv); and c) storing the 3-D matrix voxel values at the second resolution as the enhanced 3-D image.