Interpretation of image sets containing convoluted tubular structures via transluminal sections and steerable intraluminal perspective views

A system is being developed to support examination of inflated colons with helical computed tomography (CT). These CT scans are typically reconstructed with sampling intervals smaller than 1 cubic mm. Significant colon polyps (those larger than 5 mm in diameter) are readily recognized. However, direct interpretation of the cross sectional images is prohibitively difficult because a scan of the colon consists of several hundred axial tomograms. Without advanced image manipulation tools, interpretation of the colon's complex three dimension shape from these cross sections alone is nearly impossible. New analysis software is addressing this difficulty.