Lmip: Local Maximum Intensity Projection | a New Rendering Method for Vascular Visualization |

In order to clearly depict densitometric as well as geometric information in vascular visualization from 3D data such as MR and CT angiographies, a new visualization method called local maximum intensity projection (LMIP) is proposed. LMIP is an extended version of MIP (maximum intensity projection). LMIP di ers from MIP in that the latter method selects the maximum value along an optical ray, whereas LMIP selects the rst local maximum value encountered that is larger than a pre-selected threshold value along an optical ray from the viewpoint in the viewing direction. Examples are presented in which LMIP is used to visualize renal vessels from CT angiography data and cerebral vessels in the vicinity of an aneurysm from phase-contrast MR angiography data. It is demonstrated that LMIP can clearly depict geometric information, like shaded surface display (SSD) does, and densitometric information, as is done by volume rendering (VR), in a straightforward and objective manner.