Image-based method for detection and removal of small fragments in segmented three-dimensional volumes

1. A method for detecting and removing small isolated fragments in a 3D segmented volume comprising the steps of:

projecting the 3D segmented volume onto several 2D images from different viewing directions;

detecting isolated 2D fragments in the 2D images;

finding corresponding 3D fragments in the 3D volume by unprojecting corresponding detected 2D fragment locations;

using the unprojected detected 2D fragment locations as seed points for region growing of isolated 3D fragments; and

discarding any of the 3D fragments having a volume size below a user-defined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of projecting the 3D segmented volume onto several 2D images further comprises the steps of:

partitioning the segmented 3D volume into sub-sections; and

rendering each 3D subsection to several 2D images from different viewing directions.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the viewing direction is determined automatically.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the viewing direction is manually selected.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a shaded surface display volume rendering method is used to detect isolated 2D fragments in the 2D images.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a light source is used for detection of isolated 2D fragments and the light source is directed in a same direction as the viewing direction of the 3D volume.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of finding the corresponding 3D fragment uses ray picking to determine a 3D intersection coordinate.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the 3D volume comprises tomographic medical data.