Method, device and system for volume visualization and interaction in a virtual reality environment

A workstation for volume visualization and interaction in a virtual reality environment, said workstation comprising:

• a volume data import and preprocessing unit adapted to input three-dimensional (3D) volume data from an input data source and pre-process the 3D volume data;
• a virtual reality interface adapted to receive user hand or head position and orientation data from one or more virtual reality devices;
• a virtual reality interaction system coupled to the virtual reality interface, said virtual reality interaction system adapted to provide a plurality of interaction features for a user to interact with the 3D volume data and being adapted to output interaction data based on user interactions with the interaction features;
• and
• a graphics rendering unit adapted to receive the 3D volume data, user hand or head position and orientation data, and the interaction data, the graphics rendering unit adapted to render one or more selected 3D volumes in accordance with a view-ray-ordered rendering process.