Abstract
We present a new algorithm, called marching cubes , that creates triangle models of constant density surfaces from 3D medical data. Using a divide-and-conquer approach to generate inter-slice connectivity, we create a case table that defines triangle topology. The algorithm processes the 3D medical data in scan-line order and calculates triangle vertices using linear interpolation. We find the gradient of the original data, normalize it, and use it as a basis for shading the models. The detail in images produced from the generated surface models is the result of maintaining the inter-slice connectivity, surface data, and gradient information present in the original 3D data. Results from computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) illustrate the quality and functionality of marching cubes . We also discuss improvements that decrease processing time and add solid modeling capabilities.
Keywords
Marching cubesInterpolation (computer graphics)AlgorithmComputer scienceFast marching methodSurface (topology)Computer visionMathematicsArtificial intelligenceVisualizationGeometryImage (mathematics)
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1987
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 163-169
- Citations
- 8363
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
William E. Lorensen,
H. E. Cline
(1987).
Marching cubes: A high resolution 3D surface construction algorithm.
ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics
, 21
(4)
, 163-169.
https://doi.org/10.1145/37402.37422
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1145/37402.37422