Interactive point-of-interest volume rendering visualization of PET-CT data

Due to the rapid advances in dual-modality PET-CT scanners, the access to and assimilation of critical information within these data are becoming extremely difficult with conventional 2D and even with sophisticated 3D visualization. In this study, we propose an integration of maximum intensity projection (MIP) and direct volume rendering (DVR) algorithms to provide a comprehensive solution for PET-CT visualization. In this process, interactive selection of a point-of-interest (POI) from fused-MIP of PET-CT is used to automate the image enhancements, such as transfer function generation, for subsequent DVR visualization used in further image diagnosis. Such automation can significantly ease the required manual image enhancements/manipulation that must be performed during image visualization. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed volume rendering visualization scheme with its application to clinical PET-CT tumor studies.