Method and apparatus for displaying three-dimensional image by use of tensor rendering

An apparatus for displaying three-dimensional digital data due to a tensor rendering, comprising:

• means for inputting multi-valued component data represented by a three-dimensional tensor amount, to calculation means;
• means for calculating a transmittance of light having a component directly related to a tensor independent element due to a direct tensor rendering utilizing an anisotropic scattering of a transmitting light beam absorbed according to an optical path length;
• and
• means for displaying a three-dimensional spatial distribution of a multi-value function represented by a three-dimensional tensor amount corresponding to the calculated transmittance of the light.

A method for displaying a multi-value function due to a tensor rendering utilizing a light anisotropic scattering to be applied to an image diagnosis analysis, comprising the steps of:

• (1) inputting a high-order multi-value function;
• (2) decomposing a tensor type of multi-valued component data of the input multi-value function into symmetrical tensor components and anti-symmetrical tensor components;
• (3) mapping the decomposed multi-valued component data to parameters of an anisotropic ellipsoid;
• (4) calculating a scattering distribution function of the anisotropic ellipsoid based on a result of said mapping and a pre-specified lattice position;
• (5) executing the tensor rendering on the basis of said scattering distribution function, a specified light source position and a set viewing-point position;
• and
• (6) visibly displaying a tensor component at each lattice position as light information.

An apparatus for displaying a multi-value function due to a tensor rendering utilizing a light anisotropic scattering, comprising:

• (1) first memory means for storing three-dimensional tensor data of multi-valued components;
• (2) second memory means for storing position coordinate values of each data sampling point;
• (3) component intensity ratio setting means for setting an anisotropic scattering contribution ratio as a parameter;
• (4) scattering distribution function calculation means for calculating an anisotropic scattering ratio for each data sampling point with respect to the three-dimensional tensor data read out from said first memory means on the basis of said set component intensity ratio;
• (5) depth position calculation means for coordinate-converting the position coordinate value stored in said second memory means according to the set viewing-point position to generate list vectors in an order of a viewing depth direction;
• (6) reflection light intensity calculation means for calculating a component of reflection scattering light at each data sampling point according to the anisotropic scattering ratio calculated by said means with respect to a set position of an external light source;
• (7) light beam integration calculation means for integrating the quantity of light transmitting according to a set opacity, in the order of the viewing depth direction corresponding to the list vector generation order in said means;
• and
• (8) third memory means for storing a result of said integration as image data.