Abstract: Disclosed is a system and associated methods for generating a composite image from scans or images that are aligned using invisible fiducials. The invisible fiducial is a transparent substance or a projected specific wavelength that is applied to and changes reflectivity of a surface at the specific wavelength without interfering with a capture of positions or visible color characteristics across the surface. The system performs first and second capture of a scene with the surface, and detects a position of the invisible fiducial in each capture based on values measured across the specific wavelength that satisfy a threshold associated with the invisible fiducial. The system aligns the first capture with the second capture based on the detected positions of the invisible fiducial, and generates a composite image by merging or combining the positions or visible color characteristics from the aligned captures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for visualizing movements of an object, preferably the movements of blood vessels during the cardiac cycle. The method includes scanning the object by at least a two dimensional ultrasonic image scanning apparatus at discrete acquisition times to acquire a data set by using surface reconstruction and/or volume rendering techniques. Next, the three-dimensional data set is partitioned into a plurality of volume units, wherein each volume unit has a unit surface. The method further includes calculating the change of volume of each volume unit over the acquisition times to obtain level information of each corresponding unit surface over time, and displaying the three-dimensional data set with its level information over time.

Abstract: “The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting movements of objects, preferably an ultrasonic method and apparatus for detecting the movements of blood vessels during the cardiac cycle, including scanning an object by two- or three-dimensional ultrasonic image scanning means at discrete acquisition times to acquire a data set by using surface reconstruction and/or volume rendering techniques, partitioning the three-dimensional data set into a plurality of volume units, wherein each volume unit has a unit surface, calculating the change of volume of each volume unit over said acquisition times to obtain level information of each corresponding unit surface over time, and displaying said three-dimensional data set with its level information over time two- and/or three-dimensionally.