Virtual voyage

Abstract

Virtual colonoscopy is a non-invasive computerized medical procedure for examining the entire colon to detect polyps. We present an interactive virtual colonoscopy method, which uses a physicallybased camera control model and a hardware-assisted visibility algorithm. By employing a potential field and rigid body dynamics, our camera control supplies a convenient and intuitive mechanism for examining the colonic surface while avoiding collisions. Our Zbuffer-assisted visibility algorithm culls invisible regions based on their visibility through a chain of portals, thus providing interactive rendering speed. We demonstrate our method with experimental results on a plastic pipe phantom, the Visible Human, and several patients.

A Survey of Medical Visualization through the Lens of Metaphors

“…Metaphors may also relate to activities, such as traveling. Traveling is a useful metaphor in some diagnostic tasks that are performed with endoscopes, e.g., searching for polyps along the colon wall [60]. This overarching metaphor would give rise to thinking about tools to support traveling, e.g., This article has been accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics.…”

“…The user glides approximately in the middle of an elongated hollow anatomical structure similar to a boat or a submarine in the middle of a river as a consequence of gravitation. To realize this concept, a potential field is computed [60]. The camera is attracted by regions with the highest potential.…”

From Individual to Population: Challenges in Medical Visualization

“…A 3D model of the colon is then reconstructed from the scan by automatically segmenting the colon and employing "electronic cleansing" of the colon for computerbased removal of the residual material. The physician then interactively navigates through the volume rendered virtual colon employing camera control mechanisms, customized tools for 3D measurements, "virtual biopsy" to interrogate suspicious regions, and "painting" to support 100% inspection of the colon surface [29]. VC is rapidly gaining popularity and is poised to become the procedure of choice in lieu of the conventional optical colonoscopy for mass screening for colon polyps -the precursor of colorectal cancer.…”

“…This work was also the basis for many other virtual endoscopy systems, such as virtual bronchoscopy, virtual cystoscopy, and virtual angioscopy. A careful integra-tion of image analysis (e.g., segmentation, skeletonization), with efficient rendering (e.g., occlusion culling) and interaction (e.g., camera control based on predefined paths) are major ingredients of such systems [3,29].…”

Revamped fly‐over for accurate colon visualisation in virtual colonoscopy

“…In contrast, virtual colonoscopy (VC) performed using abdominal computed tomography (CT) scanning with low dose CT (LDCT) is a non-invasive procedure, which has evolved rapidly in the past decade. VC requires robust segmentation and reconstruction; for example [2][3][4], path planning [5][6][7][8][9], navigation [10][11][12][13][14][15][16], as well as polyp detection and classification [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. VC has established itself as a safe and a reliable procedure for screening polyps.…”