Method and system for producing interactive, three-dimensional renderings of selected body organs having hollow lumens to enable simulated movement through the lumen

A system for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising:

• a. volume formation means for forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three-dimensional body;
• b. isolation means for isolating a region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest, wherein the isolation means comprises a thresholding means for determining a threshold range used to isolate the region of interest and means for adjusting the isolated region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering means for rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display.

A method for interactively displaying a colon comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with the colon, wherein the three-dimensional volume of data comprises a three-dimensional matrix of voxels;
• b. isolating a selected region of interest related to the colon from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest, wherein the isolation step comprises the steps of:
• i. undersegmenting the selected region of interest from the volume of data;
• and
• ii. adding a layer of voxels to the undersegmented region of interest to form an isolated region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display.

A method for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three-dimensional body;
• b. isolating a selected region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display.

A system for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising:

• a. volume formation means for forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three-dimensional body;
• b. isolation means for isolating a region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering means for rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display.

A method for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three-dimensional body;
• b. isolating a selected region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display, wherein the rendering step comprises an contrast adjusting step for adjusting contrast values.

A system for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising:

• a. volume formation means for forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three-dimensional body;
• b. isolation means for isolating a region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering means for rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display, wherein the rendering means comprises an contrast adjusting means for adjusting contrast values.

A method for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three-dimensional body;
• b. isolating a selected region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest, wherein the step of isolating the selected region of interest comprises a thresholding step for determining threshold values corresponding to the selected values of the physical property to isolate the selected region of interest, wherein the thresholding step comprises:
• a. a threshold selection step for selecting a threshold range corresponding to the selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest;
• and
• b. a threshold adjustment step for adjusting the threshold values to provide the threshold range for isolating the selected region of interest;
• c. creating an isosurface from the exterior surface of the isolated region of interest;
• and
• d. rendering the isosurface in an interactive three-dimensional display.

A system for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising:

• a. volume formation means for forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three-dimensional body;
• b. isolation means for isolating a region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest, wherein the isolation means comprises a thresholding means for determining a threshold range used to isolate the region of interest and wherein the isolation means comprises:
• 1. a threshold selection means for selecting the threshold values;
• and
• 2. a threshold adjustment means for adjusting the threshold values;
• c. isosurface generation means for creating an isosurface from an exterior surface of the isolated region of interest;
• and
• d. a surface renderer for rendering the isosurface as a surface rendering in an interactive three-dimensional display.

A method for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three-dimensional body;
• b. isolating a selected region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display, wherein the rendering step includes the steps of determining a longitudinal path through the region of interest and displaying an image of the three-dimensional body taken along a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal path.

A method for interactively displaying a colon comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a three-dimensional volume of data from a series of two-dimensional images representing at least one physical property associated with the colon;
• b. segmenting a selected region of interest from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering the segmented region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display, wherein the rendering step includes the steps of determining a longitudinal path through the lumen of the colon and displaying an image of the colon taken along a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal path.

A method for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a three-dimensional volume of data wherein the three-dimensional volume of data comprises a three-dimensional matrix of voxels;
• b. isolating a selected region of interest related to a tissue-tissue interface at a body organ from the volume of data based on selected values of a physical property representing the selected region of interest, wherein the isolation step comprises the steps of:
• i. undersegmenting the selected region of interest from the volume of data;
• and
• ii. adding a layer of voxels to the undersegmented region of interest to form an isolated region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display.

A system for interactively displaying three-dimensional structures comprising:

• a. volume formation means for forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three-dimensional body;
• b. isolation means for isolating a region of interest related to a tissue-tissue interface at a body organ from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest, wherein the isolation means comprises a thresholding means for determining a threshold range used to isolate the region of interest and means for adjusting the isolated region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering means for rendering the isolated region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display.

A method for interactively displaying three dimensional structures comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a three-dimensional volume of data representing at least one physical property associated with a three dimensional body;
• b. segmenting a selected region of interest related to a tissue-tissue interface at a body organ from the volume of data based on selected values of the physical property representing the selected region of interest;
• and
• c. rendering the segmented region of interest in an interactive three-dimensional display for interaction with internal surfaces of the segmented region of interest.