Method and apparatus for virtual subtraction of stool from registration and shape based analysis of prone and supine scans of the colon

A method for suppressing stool particles in virtual data for a colon, said method comprising:

• accessing a prone data set and a supine data set;
• three-dimensional filtering of a prone data set and a supine data set to determine a shape classification for a segmented colon;
• mapping said shape classification onto a prone virtual dissection image and a supine virtual dissection image;
• registering the prone data set and the supine data set using one-dimensional registration to determine a registration;
• localizing shapes based on said shape classification and said registration for the prone virtual dissection and the supine virtual dissection;
• applying a distance metric to said localized shapes to identify stool particles;
• suppressing said identified stool particles;
• and
• displaying a prone virtual dissected image and a supine virtual dissected image.

A computer executable program for identifying stool particles in virtual data for a colon, said program comprising:

• a filtering routine for three-dimensional filtering of a prone data set and a supine data set to determine a shape classification for a segmented colon;
• a mapping routine for mapping said shape classification onto a prone virtual dissection image and a supine virtual dissection image;
• a registering routine registering the prone data set and the supine data set using one-dimensional registration to determine a registration;
• a localizing routine for localizing shapes based on said shape classification and said registration for the prone virtual dissection and the supine virtual dissection;
• and
• a distance metric routine for applying a distance metric to said localized shapes to identify stool particles.