Method for providing a smoothed image

1. A method of enhancing an image scan of an animal, the image scan including a plurality of arrays of image elements, the method comprising:

selecting a slice of image elements from the image scan;

dividing image elements of the slice into a first category representing soft tissue and a second category representing hard tissue based on a density of each of the image elements;

determining whether an image element in the first category is eligible for smoothing based on a position of the image element in a vertical array of first category image elements, the vertical array of first category of image elements positioned perpendicular to the slice;

smoothing eligible image elements in the first category by replacing an original individual value of an image element with a new individual value determined from a plurality of neighboring image elements of the vertical array when some of the plurality of neighboring image elements are in the same category as the original image element being replaced;

retaining image elements in the second category unsmoothed;

creating a border of unsmoothed image elements of the first category at an edge of the

second category by selectively retaining image elements of the first category that are located near the edge of the second category unsmoothed; and

creating a copy of the array of image elements, where smoothed values replace each individual value of image elements of the first category in the copy of the array of image elements.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising replacing the original value of an image element only when all the plurality of neighboring image elements are in the first category of image elements.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising replacing each of the original values of image elements in a part of the array of image elements with new individual value determined from the original values of image elements of the respective plurality of neighboring image elements.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of neighboring image elements from which each new value is determined comprise consecutive image elements in a column through the array of image elements centered on the location of the new value.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the array of image elements is a three-dimensional array.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first and the second category of image elements are defined by one or more thresholds.

7. Apparatus for enhancing an image scan of an animal, the image scan including a plurality of arrays of image elements, the apparatus arranged in operation to:

select a slice of image elements from the image scan;

divide image elements of the slice into a first category representing soft tissue and a second category representing hard tissue based on a density of each of the image elements;

determine whether an image element in the first category is eligible for smoothing based on a position of the image element in a vertical array of first category image elements, the vertical array of first category of image elements positioned perpendicular to the slice;

smooth eligible image elements in the first category by replacing an original individual value of an image element with a new individual value determined from a plurality of neighboring image elements of the vertical array when some of the plurality of neighboring image elements are in the same category as the original image element being replaced;

retain image elements in the second category unsmoothed;

create a border of unsmoothed image elements of the first category at an edge of the second category by selectively retaining image elements of the first category that are located near the edge of the second category unsmoothed; and

create a copy of the array of image elements, where smoothed values replace each individual value of image elements of the first category in the copy of the original array of image elements.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , arranged to replace the original value of an image element only when all the plurality of neighboring image elements are in the first category of image elements.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , further arranged to determine each new value of an image element from consecutive image elements in a column through the array of image elements centered on the location of the new value.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the array of image elements is a three-dimensional array.

11. A computer program stored on a machine-readable non-transitory medium, the program comprising instructions to cause the computer to:

select a slice of image elements generated from an image scan;

divide image elements of the slice into a first category representing soft tissue and a second category representing hard tissue based on a density of each of the image elements;

determine whether an image element in the first category is eligible for smoothing based on a position of the image element in a vertical array of first category image elements, the vertical array of first category of image elements positioned perpendicular to the slice;

smooth eligible image elements in the first category by replacing an original individual value of an image element with a new individual value determined from a plurality of neighboring image element of the vertical array when some of the plurality of neighboring image elements are in the same category as the original image element being replaced;

retain image elements in the second category unsmoothed;

create a border of unsmoothed image elements at an edge of the second category by selectively retaining image elements of the first category that are located near the edge of the second category unsmoothed; and

create a copy of an original array of image elements, where smoothed values replace each individual value of image elements of the first category in the copy of the original array of elements.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising selecting an initial array of image elements from the image scan, where the initial array is parallel to a previously selected array plane orientation.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein determining whether an image element in the first category is eligible for smoothing further includes scanning the initial array of image elements to identify all or some of the first category image elements.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein determining whether an image element in the first category is eligible for smoothing further includes determining whether an image element is in the middle of an array of consecutive image elements of the first category perpendicular to the array plane orientation.

15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising selecting each array of image elements in the image scan in a predetermined order.

16. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising initially identifying arrays of the first category and the second category image elements in the image scan, where arrays that include only image elements of the second category are excluded from smoothing.