Abstract: Tomographic images, including a tissue surface, are selected from volumetric data to provide selected tomographic images, each of the selected tomographic images has a respective orientation with respect to the tissue surface. Manual input data is accepted to define a boundary of the tissue surface in each of the selected tomographic images to provide respective manual traces of the boundary of the tissue surface. A 3D view of the tissue surface is displayed and updated in real time based on the manual traces of the boundary of the tissue surface. A user, such as a cardiologist, may therefore be provided with a visualization of the tissue surface allowing a faster and more accurate diagnosis of the tissue condition.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method and system for providing real-time realistic lighting to graphics objects within a computer controlled graphics display system utilizing 3D texture mapped light values. The present invention generates and utilizes a 3D texture map indicating light intensity values with a predefined 3D graphics region. In generating the 3D texture map light values, the present invention selects a point (x, y, z) within the 3D graphics region that is to be displayed on a display screen and determines which light sources contribute to the illumination of the point. Based on the light sources that do contribute to the illumination of the point, the original intensity of each light source and its distance from the point are determined. Based on a determined distance formula, the attenuation of each light source is determined with respect to the point. Based on the attenuation and intensity data, the light intensity value of the point is determined.