Automatic path-planning algorithm maximizing observation area for virtual colonoscopy

摘要

To navigate a colon lumen, a proper camera path should be generated prior to the navigation. Conventional path-planning algorithms try to find an accurate and robust centerline by assuming that a centerline of colon lumen is the best choice for camera path. For efficient and reliable navigation, however, the centerline may not minimize unobservable area from the camera path. In this paper, we first define a new coverage measure reflecting the temporal visibility. And based on this measure, a fast and efficient path-planning algorithm is proposed to increase the visibility coverage. The proposed algorithm first simplifies the object surface using the centerline determined. Then, camera view positions and directions are estimated to maximize the observable surface. Simulation results prove that the proposed algorithm provides a better coverage rate than the conventional one without a significant increase of additional computation.