Ultrasound Rendering Viewpoint and Calculation Position Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasound diagnostic apparatuses face challenges in setting a viewpoint position for perspective volume rendering due to noise interference, particularly in areas with high luminance, such as air bubbles in liquid-filled sites, which inhibits the generation of desired-angle and -position virtual endoscopic images.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus allows operators to specify both a viewpoint position and a calculation start position, performing rendering processing on a range ahead of the calculation start position to generate a rendering image, thereby avoiding noise-affected areas and simplifying the process of obtaining a suitable viewing angle and position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the viewpoint position is set in areas with high luminance noise (such as air bubbles in liquid-filled sites), then the rendering image may include unwanted noise artifacts, but avoiding these areas entirely limits the flexibility in choosing desired viewing angles and positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the rendering process into two independent position parameters: viewpoint position and calculation start position. The calculation start position is used to define where noise-affected regions begin, allowing the rendering calculation to start from a clean region. This segmentation enables independent optimization of image quality (by setting calculation start position) and viewing flexibility (by setting viewpoint position anywhere in the volume data).
Solution Approach 2:
The calculation start position acts as an intermediary parameter between the viewpoint position and the actual rendering calculation. It mediates the conflict by providing a buffer zone that separates the viewpoint selection from the noise-affected regions, allowing operators to freely choose viewpoint positions while maintaining image quality through proper calculation start position setting.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional rendering processing is performed from the viewpoint position directly, then the process is simple, but noise in high luminance areas interferes with the generation of desired virtual endoscopic images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by setting the calculation start position before executing the rendering calculation. This preliminary setting identifies and excludes noise-affected regions from the calculation domain, ensuring that the subsequent rendering process operates only on clean data regions, thus preventing noise interference from the outset.
3Productivity
If the rendering calculation includes all regions from the viewpoint position, then complete volume rendering is achieved, but noise-affected regions degrade the quality of the generated images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the calculation start position adjustable based on local noise characteristics. Different regions of the volume data can have different calculation start positions set, allowing the rendering to include complete anatomical structures while excluding noise-affected regions locally, thus maintaining both rendering completeness and image quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical image diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes a setting unit, a rendering unit, and a display controller. The setting unit sets a viewpoint position and a calculation terminal position different from the viewpoint position on an image of a subject. The rendering unit performs rendering processing on, as a target, a range ahead of the calculation terminal position in a direction toward the calculation terminal position from the viewpoint position based on volume data of the subject so as to generate a rendering image. The display controller causes the rendering image to be displayed on a display unit.