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Leadtools.Medical3D Introduction

Summary

The Leadtools.Medical3D assembly provides functionality for rendering and viewing a series of two-dimensional medical images in a three-dimensional space. The LEADTOOLS Medical 3D SDK simplifies the reconstruction techniques for the creation of 3D visual representations. The class library offers various mathematical algorithms to generate volumetric (3D) data using a stack of image slices. Support is provided for generation of many different alternate views of the original data using the various 3D reconstruction techniques (e.g. MPR, VRT, MIP, MinIP, SSD etc.). The toolkit allows rendering different volume types with options including planes, clipping, slab, scaling, zooming, full camera control, thresholding and color inversion.

A three-dimensisonal view is easier to analyze than the component two-dimensional images. Users can render the object in multiple ways and can select from a wide range of tools that make it easier to view, handle and manipulate 3D objects. 3D reconstruction allows the visualization of anatomical details which are difficult to evaluate using 2D axial slices alone. Some example scenarios where the various 3D reconstruction techniques would be useful include:

Using Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP), a developer can create an application which makes it possible for physicians to more quickly and reliably identify pulmonary nodules.
The Minimum Intensity Projection (MinIP) technique, which tends to enhance air spaces, can be used to create an application for allowing doctors to assess lung structure.
Multi-planar Reconstruction (MPR) is regularly used for examining images of the spine to view the intervertebral discs which are difficult to see in axial images. A 3D view makes it easier to see the position of one vertebrae in relation to others.
The 3D Volume Reconstruction Technique (VRT), with support for clipping planes, can be used to remove obstructive anatomy from the 3D view. With VRT, you can add transparency to the view which allows bones to be displayed as semi-transparent to transparent for better views of the otherwise concealed anatomy.

LEADTOOLS Medical 3D .NET Class Library offers programmers the ability to create 3D applications quickly and without having to rely on an advanced knowledge of the 3D field. Developers can add 3D support to their applications with minimal lines of source code. As a result, the class library can be used effectively by both beginner and advanced developers.

The LEADTOOLS support of reconstruction in non-orthogonal (oblique) planes allows developers the option to choose the optimal plane to best display the anatomical structure of interest. Examining volumetric data improves the speed of interpretation and recognition and greatly decreases exam evaluation time.

For very large input objects the quality and speed trade off is available. The 3D toolkit will internally determine the trade off. For example, if you have a very large 3D object, LEADTOOLS will lower the quality of the 3D object while rotating. When the user releases the mouse (stops rotating the object), the object will switch back to the higher quality rendering.

LEADTOOLS includes an easy to use Medical 3D Control with built in action tools that can easily integrate with the LEADTOOLS Medical Viewer. This transforms the viewer into a feature rich, advanced 3D viewer with support for different layouts, tools and functionalities that are comparable to a high-end radiology work station. The toolkit ships with a Medical Workstation Viewer application and a Medical Web Viewer solution. These are complete applications with source code for you to customize.

Some examples of common applications that use the LEADTOOLS Medical 3D SDK:

High-end medical diagnostic workstations
Light-weight viewers that are distributed on a CD with patient images
Medical applications integrating the 3D control to a medical viewer
3D web applications
3D image processing applications
3D editing tools, such as window level, threshold, color inversion, slab, scale, etc.
Generic 3D applications

Key Features

The following are features included in the LEADTOOLS Medical 3D toolkit:

Rendering the object using 5 different types of volume rendering techniques:
- MIP - Maximum Intensity Projection
- MinIP - Minimum Intensity Projection
- VRT - Volume Rendering Technique
- MPR - Multiplanar Reformations
- SSD - Shaded Surface Display
Full integration with the LEADTOOLS Medical Viewer
The ability to draw up to three different oblique planes when rendering using the MPR technique.
Compatibility checker utility that examines the available video card and compares it to the minimum requirements
A 3D control that handles complicated tasks for you.
The ability to draw tags and rulers on the 3D control
Actions that can be used to manipulate the 3D object:
- Window level
- Pan
- Rotate
- Rotate plane
- Move plane
- Move camera
- Rotate camera
- Scale
- Zoom-Camera
A clipping plane feature which allows you to clip parts of the 3D volume, using either orthogonal or oblique clipping. You can use up to 6 clipping planes.
Memory efficient loading and saving utilizing the Video card
A Slab feature that allows you to render a portion of the 3D object. This feature is also integrated into the Medical Viewer control.
The ability to manipulate the 3D object. For example, changing the scale of the image in one or all directions, translating and rotating the object. Moving and rotating the plane or the clipping planes using a variety of techniques.
The ability to invert the volumes colors.
The ability to load any image format of the 150+ file formats supported by LEADTOOLS.
The ability to customize the look of the 3D project by changing features, like the color of the boundaries, the boundary box, the intersection line, the background the color.
A cross hair feature for the different plane views.
Ability to do editing on the 3D object such as thresholding or any other image processing by accessing the RasterImage class used to render the 3D object.
Multiple camera views
Dynamic rotation (rotate using the Z axes)
Orientation cube that can be located dynamically
Save and load object mesh
Save and load object status
Save and load objects data
A MedicalViewer method used to automatically sort the images and distinguish between the different series and localizers
The ability to change the volume projection method
Near and far clipping plane support
Support for single and double oblique cut planes that can be performed on a stack in the medical viewer cell to generate the MIP slab