Rib unfolding from magnetic resonance images

An apparatus for rib unfolding from a magnetic resonance (MR) image, comprising:

• a source of volumetric MR data representing a 3D image of the rib cage and lungs of a subject;
• a computer provided with an input data file comprising said volumetric MR data;
• said computer being configured to select a view through said 3D image;
• said computer being configured to use said lungs in said 3D image to define a first smooth curved surface representation that is inside of said rib cage;
• said computer being configured to successively define further smooth curved surface representations, starting from and moving outwardly from said first smooth curved surface representation, that each proceed through at least one pair of ribs in said rib cage;
• said computer being configured to unfold said 3D image by cutting and straightening said further smooth curved surface representations, to obtain an unfolded MR image;
• and
• a display in communication with said computer, said computer being configured to display said unfolded MR image at said display.

A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with programming instructions, said storage medium being loaded into a computer and said programming instructions causing said computer to:

• receive a computer with an input data file comprising volumetric magnetic resonance data representing a 3D image of the rib cage and lungs of a subject;
• select a view through said 3D image;
• use said lungs in said 3D image to define a first smooth curved surface representation that is inside of said rib cage;
• successively define further smooth curved surface representations, starting from and moving outwardly from said first smooth curved surface representation, that each proceed through at least one pair of ribs in said rib cage;
• unfold said 3D image by cutting and straightening said further smooth curved surface representations, to obtain an unfolded MR image;
• and
• at a display in communication with said computer, display said unfolded MR image.