Interactive visual exploration of dynamic SPECT volume data using hybrid rendering

Abstract

Dynamic SPECT is a novel technique in nuclear medicine imaging. To find coherent structures within the dataset is the most important part of analyzing dSPECT data. Usually the observer focuses on a certain structure or an organ, which is to be identified and outlined. We use a user-guided method where a starting point is interactively selected whcih is also used to identify the object or structure. To find the starting point for segentation we search for the voxel having the maximum intensity in the dataset along the eye beam. In the situation where the data is segmented by region growing, we render both, the segmentation result and the original data in one view. The segmentation result is displayed as a wire mesh and fades over the voluem rendered original data. We use this hybrid rendering method in order to enable the user to validate the correctness of the sementation process. So it is possible to compare the two objects in one rendition.