Visualization of 3D volume data using an optical model

Abstract

In this paper we propose a general model for the visualization of the 3D volume data, called optical model (OM). We present the model in its most general form, and a particular case is used for the display of computed tomography (CT) data. The optical model contains some of the techniques available in the literature as particular cases. It does not use ray tracing however it uses the wave characteristics of the light. Using Maxwell's equations and the boundary conditions, the equations involved in the visualization process take a simple form. The optical model proposes to use such optical concepts as reflection, transmission, diffusion, absorption, or a combination of them for the visualization of the volume data. This new model uses the normalized gradient as the normal to the surface where diffusion takes place. In the optical model the optical constants involved in the calculations are directly mapped from the original 3D volume data. The optical model is addressed to display any kind of 3D volume data, however we only applied it in the visualization of CT data, as a particular example.