US 4,920,573 AGranted

Method for generating perpendicular synthesized cross-sectional images

AssigneeMpdi

InventorsMichael L. Rhodes, Ada Kan, Eva Tivattanasuk

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A method for generating synthesized cross-sectional images perpendicular to a line or curve that approximates the shape of a structure scanned by a non-intrusive cross-sectional image generating device, such as a CT, MR, or ultrasonic scanner. The inventive method involves three basic processes: generation of a set of perpendicular lines along an initial curve that approximates the curvature of the scanned structure; selection from each original scanned image of pixels corresponding to discrete points on each of the generated perpendicular lines; and interpolation between adjacent lines of pixels collected in the second step to generate a complete perpendicular cross-sectional image. The invention permits making a single pass through all axial image data, during which selected pixels for a perpendicular cross-sectional view are collected in a temporary data file for subsequent interpolation for display purposes.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A method for selecting and displaying image data corresponding to the intersection of (1) at least one generated line derived initial from an initial curve conforming to a set of initial data points input by a user, with (2) a set of image data produced in a two-dimensional field by a non-intrusive cross-sectional image generating device, comprising the steps of:

a. calculating the coordinates of at least one primary data point on the initial curve;
b. calculating the slope of a perpendicular at the calculated primary data points;
c. at each of the calculated primary data points, calculating the coordinates of secondary data points a preset distance along a line having the calculated slope of the perpendicular, the secondary data points defining the at least one generated line derived from the initial curve;
d. addressing the set of image data by the coordinates of selected ones of the secondary data points;
e. selecting the image data at each such address;
and
f. displaying the selected image data on a display means as an apparent cross-sectional image.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.