5.6 Tools

A set of tools, which can be combined in different ways to give several basic volume visualization methods has been created.

Typical volume visualization methods achievable using the tools :

• Maximum intensity projection image.
  
• Additive reprojection, i.e. X-ray style opacity image.
  
• Selection of surfaces within a volume.
  
• Multiple visible surfaces using partial transparency, overlaid surface semi-opaque.
  
• Render the volume from front or side, or any direction view parallel to the xy-plane.

In order to achieve these methods, the set of tools comprises the following basic operations :

• Analyze Volume reader.
  
• Volume resampling to isometric voxels
  
• Placing surface normals within volumes.
  
• Lighting distributed surfaces defined by vector fields of surface normals.
  
• Extraction of volume components by manipulating opacity transformation.
  
• Participating media ray-casting for calculating volume to view plane transformation.
  
• Contrast enhancement of the rendered images.