Method for navigating a virtual camera along a biological object with a lumen

A computer program product comprising machine-readable instructions for implementing a computer-implemented method of navigating along a hollow tubular object bounded by a wall and represented by a three-dimensional volume data set, the data set comprising a plurality of voxels arranged in a three-dimensional array, the instructions being operable to instruct a machine to:

• store a three-dimensional volume data set;
• and
• generate a plurality of navigation segments connectable in a sequence, each segment having a start point within the object, a direction and a length;
• the direction of each segment being determined by:
• calculating an average ray length for each of two or more groups of rays cast from the start point of the segment and that have a different direction , each group comprising a plurality of rays arranged about a central axis, and each ray extending from the start point to the wall;
• selecting the group with the largest average ray length;
• and
• setting the direction of the segment to the direction of the central axis of the selected group.

A computer system for implementing a computer-implemented method of navigating along a hollow tubular object bounded by a wall and represented by a three-dimensional volume data set, the data set comprising a plurality of voxels arranged in a three-dimensional array, the computer system comprising:

• memory for storing a three-dimensional volume data set;
• and
• a processor programmed to:
• generate a plurality of navigation segments connectable in a sequence, each segment having a start point within the object, a direction and a length;
• the direction of each segment being determined by:
• calculating an average ray length for each of two or more groups of rays cast from the start point of the segment and that have a different direction , each group comprising a plurality of rays arranged about a central axis, and each ray extending from the start point to the wall;
• selecting the group with the largest average ray length;
• and
• setting the direction of the segment to the direction of the central axis of the selected group.