IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND A NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM CONTAINING AN IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM

摘要

Extracting a tubular structure from volume data, determining a target region which should be reached by an endoscope through the tubular structure, extracting, among plurality on a route of the tubular structure, a point that satisfies a given condition as a target point that should be reached by a distal end portion of the endoscope, and identifying and determining a route of the tubular structure from a predetermined start point in the tubular structure to the extracted target point as a route through which the endoscope should be passed.

主权项

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:
a tubular structure extraction unit that extracts, from volume data captured by imaging a region of a subject which includes a tree-shaped tubular structure, the tubular structure; a target region setting unit that determines a target region which should be reached by an endoscope through the tubular structure in the volume data; a target point extraction unit that extracts, among points on a route of the tubular structure, a point that satisfies a first condition that the point on the route is located within a given range from the target region and a second condition that a judgement angle, which is an angle formed between a direction from the point on the route toward the target region and a direction in which the route of the tubular structure extends from the point on the route, is less than or equal to a reference angle which is at least a given acute angle, as a target point that should be reached by a distal end portion of the endoscope; and a route determination unit that identifies and determines a route of the tubular structure from a predetermined start point in the tubular structure to the extracted target point as a route through which the endoscope should be passed.