AUTOMATIC NAVIGATION FOR VIRTUAL ENDOSCOPY

摘要

A method for navigating a viewpoint of a virtual endoscope in a lumen of a structure is provided. The method includes the steps of (a)determining an initial viewpoint of the virtual endoscope, the initial viewpoint having a first center point and first direction; (b)determining a longest ray from the initial viewpoint to the lumen, the longest ray having a first longest ray direction (step 204); (c)determining a second direction between the first direction of the initial viewpoint and the first longest ray direction (step 210); (d)turning the viewpoint to the second direction (step 212) and moving the initial viewpoint a first predetermined distance in a first direction of the initial viewpoint (step 214); (e)calculating a second center point of the viewpoint (step 216); (f)moving the viewpoint to the second center point (step 218); and repeating steps (b) through (f) until the viewpoint reaches an intended target.