Unfolding for color volume datasets based on segmented contours

Abstract

Unfolding is a rendering method to visualize organs at a glance by virtually incising them. Although conventional methods exploit gray-scale volume datasets such as CT or MR images, we use the Visible Korean Human (VKH) data-set preserving actual color. VKH dataset consists of anatomical and segmented images. Segmented images store the boundary of organs. In rendering stage, we perform the radial volume ray casting along with the central path of a target organ. If a ray reaches to nontransparent regions by referring the segmented volumes, the color composition is begun. As a result, we can produce high-quality unfolding results. Since our approach can be applied to virtual dissection including actual organs colors, it is helpful for the anatomy studies.