Patent attributes
A method for visualizing a tubular object from a set of volumetric data may include the steps of: determining a viewing direction for the tubular object; selecting a constraint subset of the tubular object within the volumetric data; defining a cut-surface through the volumetric data and including the constraint subset of the tubular object within the volumetric data; and rendering an image based upon the determined viewing direction and the volumetric data of the tubular object along the intersection of the volumetric data and the defined cut-surface. Additionally or alternatively, the method may identify a plurality of bifurcations in the tubular object; assign a weighting factor to each identified bifurcation; determine a bifurcation normal vector associated with each bifurcation; determine a weighted average of the bifurcation normal vectors; and render an image of the volumetric data from a perspective parallel to the weighted average of the bifurcation normal vectors.