Method of automatically determining the starting point for analysis of a data set comprising a tubular structure

摘要

The invention relates to a method of analyzing an object data set comprising points in a multi-dimensional space, in which dataset a tubular structure, such as blood vessels, occurs. The method comprises the following steps: a) choosing a screen position related to the tubular structure; b) determining the multi-dimensional co-ordinates of a starting position associated with said screen position; c) deriving a plane through said starting position having its normal directed to the tubular structure; d) determining a surface point of the tubular structure as a target position associated with the starting position; e) selecting a number of points forming part of the surface of the tubular structure in the vicinity of the target position; f) determining the surface point in the selection which is closest to the plane; and g) using the surface point determined in the step f) as a new starting position. This method allows accurate and reproducible selection of the starting position. The invention also relates to a computer program to carry out the method according to the invention.