Image fusion for visualization of hepatic vasculature and tumors

We have developed segmentation and simultaneous display techniques to facilitate the visualization of the three-dimensional spatial relationships between organ structures and organ vasculature. We concentrate on the visualization of the liver based on spiral computed tomography images. Surface-based 3-D rendering and maximal intensity projection algorithms are used for data visualization. To extract the liver in the serial of images accurately and efficiently, we have developed a user-friendly interactive program with a deformable-model segmentation. Surface rendering techniques are used to visualize the extracted structures, adjacent contours are aligned and fitted with a Bezier surface to yield a smooth surface. Visualization of the vascular structures, portal and hepatic veins, is achieved by applying an MIP technique to the extracted liver volume. To integrate the extracted structures, surface-rendered and their MIP images are aligned, and a color table is designed for simultaneous display of the combined liver/tumor and vasculature images. By combining the 3-D surface rendering and MIP techniques, portal veins, hepatic veins, and hepatic tumor can be inspected simultaneously and their spatial relationships can be more easily perceived. The proposed technique will be useful for visualization of both hepatic neoplasm and vasculature in surgical planning for tumor resection or living-donor liver transplantation.