Mastering Interactive Virtual Bronchioscopy on a Low–End PC

by Rainer Wegenkittl, Anna Vilanova, Balint Hegedüs, Daniel Wagner, Martin C. Freund, and Eduard Gröller.

Published in IEEE Visualization 2000, Conference Proceedings, pages 461-464, October 2000.

Project Duration: 2000 -

Abstract

Virtual endoscopy presents the cross-sectional acquired 3D-data of a computer tomograph as an endoluminal view. The common approach for the visualization of a virtual endoscopy is surface rendering, yielding images close to a real endoscopy. If external structures are of interest, volume rendering techniques have to be used. These methods do not display the exact shape of the inner lumen very well. For certain applications, e.g. operation planning of a transbronchial biopsy, both, the shape of the inner lumen as well as outer structures like blood vessels and the tumor have to be delineated. In this paper a method is described, that allows a quick and easy hybrid visualization using overlays of different visualization methods like different surfaces or volume renderings with different transfer functions in real time on a low-end PC. To achieve real time frame rates, image based rendering techniques have been used.

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Figures in the paper (JPEG)

[Fig. 1] Figure 1:
Screenshot of a typical working session
[Fig. 2] Figure 2:
Camera with cubic mapping along a path
[Fig. 3] Figure 3:
Real endoscopy compared with surface shading and volume rendering
[Fig. 4, Fig. 5] Figure 4, Figure 5:
Cubical mapping showing the inner lumen of the trachea, Cubical mapping showing the aorta (red), the pulmonary vessels and the tumor (green)
[Fig. 6] Figure 6:
Cubical mapping showing the tumor

Animation Sequences

[Fig. 1] Movie 1:
Moving through a trachea and blending between two texture movies
[Fig. 2] Movie 2:
Camera rotation, blending between two texture movies
[Fig. 3] Movie 3:
Illustrating exterior structures beyond trachea wall: aorta (red), plumonary vessels (blue), tumor (green)
[Fig. 4, Fig. 5] Movie 4:
Finding an optimal location for biopsy without injuring main vessels
[Fig. 6] Movie 5:
Moving through trachea and showing inner lumen of trachea
[Fig. 6] Movie 6:
Moving through trachea and showing exterior structures only: aorta (red), plumonary vessels (blue), tumor (green)
[Fig. 6] Movie 7:
Moving through trachea and showing inner lumen and exterior structures simultaneously
[Fig. 6] Movie 8:
Camera rotation, showine inner lumen of trachea

This page assembles some results (figures) of work that is part of our visualization research. The figures are provided in JPEG format.

This work has been funded by the VisMed project. VisMed is supported by Tiani Medgraph, Vienna and the Forschungsförderungsfonds für die gewerbliche Wirtschaft, Austria. The medical data sets are courtesy Tiani Medgraph GesmbH, Vienna.

Eduard Gröller, last update on April 6, 2000.