Project Overview
This project employs advanced visualization techniques to achieve virtual imaging and exploration of the human colon. The data sets that have been successfully applied in our experiments include the Visible Human, a simulated plastic pipe, and patient data (provided by the University Hospital at Stony Brook).
In our system, a helical CT scanner is used to obtain a sequence of 2D slices of the human abdomen. These CT slices are then reconstructed into a 3D volume and, subsequently, the human colon is visualized with various visualization techniques implemented in VolVis, which is a comprehensive volume visualization system intended for scientists and engineers as well as visualization developers. This noninvasive procedure is employed as an alternative method to existing procedures of imaging the mucosal surface of the colon.
Our current implementation allows the user to achieve both planned and guided navigations inside the colon. Please contact Prof. Arie Kaufman
This is a joint project between the Departments of Computer Science and Radiology. The research activities have been carried out in the Visualization Lab of the Computer Science Department and the Lab for Imaging Research and Informatics (IRIS) of the Radiology Department.
Further work presents efficient algorithms and frameworks for performing supine and prone colon registration through the use of conformal geometry. Efficient colon flattening techniques using Ricci flow and heat diffusion metrics are also developed. Current focus of research is on the development of an augmented colonoscopy system, wherein the information obtained by the computer aided detection (CAD) of the polyps using our virtual colonoscopy (VC) system are augmented to the conventional optical colonoscopy system. The primary idea is to reconstruct the colon surface on the fly using the real-time images obtained from the endoscope and augment it with the VC results by means of registrations and CAD.
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Volunteers Needed for Virtual Colonoscopy
Virtual Colonoscopy is a new, safe, comfortable colon screening technology utilizing computer graphics and CT images. Volunteers are needed to validate this new diagnostic modality. A small amount of whitish fluid will be added to the routine diet which will not change the taste or appearance of the ingested food. This will be given one or two days prior to the CT examination. The entire CT study takes less than 30 minutes. Each volunteer will be paid a total of $200 which will include two CT studies separated by a time interval of at least one week.