Abstract: Improved systems and methods for stereoscopically displaying and virtually viewing tube-like anatomical structures are presented. Stereoscopic display of such structures can provide a user with better depth perception of the structure being viewed and thus make a virtual examination more real. In exemplary embodiments according to the present invention, ray shooting, coupled with appropriate error correction techniques, can be utilized for dynamic adjustment of an eye convergence point for stereo display. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the correctness of a convergence point can be verified to avoid a distractive and uncomfortable visualization. Additionally, in exemplary embodiments of the present invention, convergence points in consecutive time frames can be compared. If rapid changes are detected, the system can compensate by interpolating transitional convergence points.

Abstract: Methods and systems for dynamically determining a crop box to optimize the display of a subset of a 3D data set, such as, for example, an endoscopic view of a tube-like structure, are presented. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a “ray shooting” technique can be used to dynamically determine the size and location of a crop box. In such embodiments, shot rays are distributed evenly into a given volume and their intersection with the inner lumen determines the crop box boundaries. In alternate exemplary embodiments, rays need not be shot into fixed directions, but rather may be shot using a random offset which changes form frame to frame in order to more thoroughly cover a display area. In other exemplary embodiments, in order to get even better results, more rays can be shot at areas of possible error, such as, for example, where the centerline of a tube-like structure is leading to. In such embodiments rays need not be distributed evenly, but can be varied in space and time, i.e.