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Abstract

A method and apparatus for visualizing in three-dimensions an image of a subsurface object such as an internal structure of a mechanical component, or of a fetus or other internal biological feature within a human body, utilizes a sensor such as an ultrasonic transducer of an ultrasound wand to acquire ultrasonic images of an object, and a target plate attached to a wand which is optically imaged by a digital camera during each of a sequence of ultrasound scans. Each ultrasound image scan of an object is made with the position and/or orientation of the ultrasonic scan beam changed, thereby forming a sequence of quasi two-dimensional slices which intersect the object at different locations and/or aspect angles. Visual features of the target plate such as pairs of intersecting lines are used to calculate a first coordinate transformation which transforms each electronically recorded oblique optical image of the target plate and sensor to a normal view thereof, and each normally oriented target plate image is used to orient each sonogram image in a fixed coordinate system. A transformation matrix is then used to assemble in a fixed three-dimensional coordinate system a plurality of normalized two-dimensional sensor image slices of correct relative size, location, and orientation. The assembly of sensor image slices enables visualization of the object in three-dimensions, as for example by mentally constructing directrix lines between contour perimeters of adjacent normalized sensor image slices to thereby define a three-dimensional image surface of the object.

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First Claim