System for dynamically removing anatomical structures from a volume-rendered image based on a position of a virtual light source

A method comprising:

• receiving three-dimensional (3D) medical imaging data of a region of interest of a subject;
• generating a first volume-rendered image of anatomical structures of the region of interest of the subject;
• displaying the first volume-rendered image of the anatomical structures of the region of interest of the subject;
• receiving a user input that selects a position of a virtual light source relative to the anatomical structures of the region of interest of the subject in the first volume-rendered image;
• determining respective irradiation parameters of the anatomical structures of the region of interest of the subject based on the position of the virtual light source relative to the anatomical structures of the region of interest;
• generating a second volume-rendered image by removing one or more anatomical structures, of the anatomical structures, from the first volume-rendered image based on the respective irradiation parameters of the anatomical structures;
• and
• simultaneously displaying the first volume-rendered image and the second volume-rendered image.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

• receive three-dimensional (3D) medical imaging data of a region of interest of a subject;
• generate a first volume-rendered image of anatomical structures of the region of interest of the subject;
• display the first volume-rendered image of the anatomical structures of the region of interest of the subject;
• receive a user input that selects a position of a virtual light source relative to the anatomical structures of the region of interest of the subject in the first volume-rendered image;
• determine respective irradiation parameters of the anatomical structures of the region of interest of the subject based on the position of the virtual light source relative to the anatomical structures of the region of interest;
• generate a second volume-rendered image by removing one or more anatomical structures, of the anatomical structures, from the first volume-rendered image based on the respective irradiation parameters of the anatomical structures;
• and
• simultaneously display the first volume-rendered image and the second volume-rendered image.