Non-distorting flattening for virtual colonoscopy

Abstract

In this paper, we consider a novel 3D visualization technique based on conformal surface flattening for virtual colonoscopy. Such visualization methods could be important in virtual colonoscopy since they have the potential for non-invasively determining the presence of polyps and other pathologies. Further, we demonstrate a method which presents a surface scan of the entire colon as a cine, and affords a viewer the opportunity to examine each point on the surface without distortion. From a triangulated surface representation of the colon, we indicate how the flattening procedure may be implemented using a finite element technique. We give a simple example of how the flattening map can be composed with other maps to enhance certain mapping properties. Finally, we show how the use of curvature based colorization and shading maps can be used to aid in the inspection process.