System for two dimensional and three dimensional imaging of tubular structures in the human body

A method for imaging a tubular structure of a human body with a digital computer having a processor, a data input device, and a visual display device, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing to the digital computer an image data set representative of the structure and generated by a medical imaging device;
• (b) generating with the processor and the image data set two dimensional reformatted images of the structure through a view point;
• (c) generating with the processor a two dimensional axial image of the body, including the structure, at the view point;
• and
• (d) simultaneously displaying with the visual display device the corresponding two dimensional reformatted images and the two dimensional axial image of the structure at the view point.

A method for imaging a tubular structure of a human body with a digital computer having a processor, a data input device, and a visual display device, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing to the digital computer an image data set which is representative of the structure and generated by a medical imaging device;
• (b) generating with the processor and the image data set two dimensional reformatted images of the structure through a view point;
• (c) generating with the processor a two dimensional axial image of the body, including the structure, and a three dimensional image of the internal anatomy of the structure at the view point;
• and
• (d) simultaneously displaying with the visual display device the corresponding two dimensional reformatted images, and the two dimensional axial image and the three dimensional image of the structure at the view point.

A system for imaging a tubular structure of a human body with a digital computer having a processor, a data input device, and a visual display device, the system comprising:

• (a) data transfer means for providing to the digital computer an image data set which is representative of the structure and generated by a medical imaging device;
• (b) reformat means logically coupled to the digital computer for generating with the processor two dimensional reformatted images of the structure through a view point;
• (c) render means logically coupled to the digital computer for generating with the processor a three dimensional image of the internal anatomy of the structure at the view point;
• and
• (d) display means logically coupled to the reformat means and render means for simultaneously displaying with the visual display device the corresponding two dimensional reformatted images and the three dimensional image of the structure at the view point.

A system for imaging a tubular structure of a human body with a digital computer having a processor, a data input device, and a visual display device, the system comprising:

• (a) data transfer means for providing to the digital computer an image data set which is representative of the structure and generated by a medical imaging device;
• (b) reformat means logically coupled to the digital computer for generating with the processor two dimensional reformatted images of the structure through a view point;
• (c) render means logically coupled to the digital computer for generating with the processor a two dimensional axial image of the body, including the structure, at the view point;
• and
• (d) display means logically coupled to the reformat means and render means for simultaneously displaying with the visual display device the corresponding two dimensional reformatted images and the two dimensional axial image of the structure at the view point.

A system for imaging a tubular structure of a human body with a digital computer having a processor, a data input device, and a visual display device, the system comprising:

• (a) data transfer means for providing to the digital computer an image data set which is representative of the structure and generated by a medical imaging device;
• (b) reformat means logically coupled to the digital computer for generating with the processor two dimensional reformatted images of the structure through a view point;
• (c) render means logically coupled to the digital computer for generating with the processor a two dimensional axial image of the body, including the structure, and a three dimensional image of the internal anatomy of the structure at the view point;
• and
• (d) display means logically coupled to the reformat means and render means for simultaneously displaying with the visual display device the corresponding two dimensional reformatted images, and the two dimensional axial and the three dimensional images of the structure at the view point.

One or more program storage devices readable by a computer having a memory and coupled to a data storage device, each of the program storage devices including one or more programs of instructions executable by a computer to perform imaging of a tubular structure of a human body with a digital computer having a processor, a data input device, and a visual display device, the instructions including:

• (a) first instruction means for enabling the digital computer to receive an image data set representative of the structure and generated by a medical imaging device;
• (b) second instruction means for using the image data set to define a structure midline following the structure lumen;
• (c) third instruction means for generating with the processor and the image data set two dimensional reformatted images of the structure through a view point centered on the structure midline;
• (d) fourth instruction means for generating with the processor a three dimensional image of the internal anatomy of the structure at the view point;
• and
• (e) fifth instruction means for simultaneously displaying with the visual display device the corresponding two dimensional reformatted images and the three dimensional image of the structure at the view point.

A method for operating a digital computer system of the type having a processor, a visual display device and an operator-actuated input device to provide diagnostic images of a tubular structure of a human body at view points selected by a clinician through use of the operator-actuated input device, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving image data which is representative of the tubular body structure to be imaged;
• generating from the image data, through each of a plurality of view points, a set of two dimensional reformatted images of the structure;
• generating from the image data, at each of the view points, one or more additional images of the structure, the additional images being selected from a set of images including a two dimensional axial image of the body, including the structure, and a three dimensional image of the internal anatomy of the structure;
• receiving information representative of the viewpoints selected by the operator through use of the operator-actuated input device;
• and
• simultaneously displaying on the visual display device the corresponding set of two dimensional reformatted images and each additional image of the structure at the selected viewpoints.

A method for operating a digital computer system of the type having a processor, a visual display device and an operator-actuated input device to provide diagnostic images of a tubular structure of a human body at view points selected through use of the operator-actuated input device, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving image data which is representative of the tubular body structure to be imaged;
• generating from the image data, at each of the view points, a two dimensional axial image of the body including the tubular structure;
• generating from the image data, through each of the view points, a set of two dimensional reformatted images of the tubular structure;
• generating from the image data, at each of the view points, a three dimensional image of the internal anatomy of the tubular structure;
• receiving information representative of viewpoints selected through use of the operator-actuated input device, including information representative of a sequence of adjacent viewpoints along a navigated path of the structure;
• simultaneously displaying on the visual display device the corresponding two dimensional axial image, the set of two dimensional reformatted images and the three dimensional image at a selected viewpoint;
• and
• updating the visual display device to simultaneously display the corresponding images at the sequence of viewpoints along the navigated path of the structure.