Three-dimensional reconstruction and enhancement of arbitrarily oriented and positioned 2D medical ultrasonic images

The objective of the current research was to determine whether a freehand, or six degree-of-freedom (6 DOF), scanning method of ultrasonic image acquisition with real-time transducer localization would provide three-dimensionally reconstructed ultrasonic (US) images comparable to those reported using mechanical or electronic scanning systems. A standard ultrasound machine and a 6 DOF multi-channel tracking system were used to localize the position and orientation of the US transducer. All data were digitized and stored in real-time for image processing, reconstruction, and volume visualization. Image resampling algorithms were developed along with image preprocessing and postprocessing methods. From the results of this research, the authors conclude that appropriate resampling and enhancement of densely sampled freehand US image data provide high quality 3D US images which can be used in a medical diagnostic setting