Enhanced Visualization of Ultrasound Volumes for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Purposes

For three-dimensional datasets generated by modern medical imaging modalities, the correct interpretation of the depicted structures is often impeded by artifacts. Different approaches can be chosen to facilitate interpretation. Segmentation algorithms can be optimized for the detection of certain anatomical features, but their development can be tedious. For many applications, an enhanced visualization of the image volume instead of its complex segmentation may already be sufficient. For imaging modalities such as MRI or CT, various methods for adapting the visualization are available, i.e. via generating specialized transfer functions (TFs). Due to technical differences and dissimilar image properties, these methods cannot directly be employed for ultrasound image volumes. In this paper, we outline an approach for adapting methods for finding suitable transfer functions for use in ultrasound volume visualizations.