Contact: Prof. Dr. Willi A. Kalender, Ph.D.

The Medical Image Processing and Visualization Group, consisting of about ten colleagues, represents another big part of the research activities of the institute. It focuses primarily on the support of other IMP fields, i.e. Medical Imaging and Computer Assisted Surgery, by providing, implementing and improving algorithms for image postprocessing and visualization.

3D segmentation is currently the most active research subject. Applied to data sets of the human knee, hip and facial bone it is used for surgical planning, guiding and therapy. 3D segmentation, however, is not only utilized in surgery (CAS) or for the design of individual implants, but also to evaluate anatomical and functional or biomechanical parameters (Osteoporosis research).

Intrathoracic 3D-segmentation, especially of the bronchial tree, opens the field of anatomical and functional evaluation of healthy and pathologic lung structures (e.g. lung nodules) .

Virtual endoscopy as a new kind of visualization is also being developed and assessed. Different anatomical areas such as the lumina of the bronchial tree, the colon or blood vessels are viewed from the inside. This process which, according to conventional endoscopy, is termed virtual endoscopy gave rise to names such as virtual bronchoscopy, virtual colonoscopy, virtual laryngoscopy or virtual laparoscopy. In cooperation with the Institute of Diagnostic Radiology in Erlangen we developed virtual cisternoscopy. It allows neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons, based on MR or CT angiographies, a better assessment of cerebral vessels, thus simplifying therapeutical decisions.

Selected Publications

• Mastmeyer A, Engelke K, Fuchs C, Kalender WA. A hierarchical 3D segmentation method and the definition of vertebral body coordinate systems for QCT of the lumbar spine. Medical Image Analysis 2006; 10: 560-577
• Y Kang, K Engelke, Ch Fuchs, WA Kalender (2005) An anatomic coordinate system of the femoral neck for highly reproducible BMD measurements using 3D QCT. Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics; 29: 533-541
• Y. Kang (2003) 3D Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) of the Proximal Femur. In: Berichte aus dem Institut für Medizinische Physik. Bd 12 (Ed. W.A. Kalender), Shaker Verlag
• K. Wolsiffer (2000) Analyse und Entwicklung von Methoden zur computerbasierten Planung für die Implantation von Knieendoprothesen. In: Berichte aus dem Institut für Medizinische Physik. Bd 4 (Ed. W.A. Kalender), Shaker Verlag
• M. Blank, W. A. Kalender (2000). Konstruktion und Einsatz eines virtuellen anthropomorphen Phantoms des Bronchialsystems. Der Radiologe, 40: 240 - 245
• M. Blank, W. A. Kalender (2000). Medical volume exploration: gaining insights virtually. European Journal of Radiology, 33: 161 - 169
• Fellner, F., M. Blank, C. Fellner, et al. (1998). Virtual Cisternoscopy of Intracranial Vessels: A novel Visualization Technique using Virtual Reality. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 16(9): 1013 - 1022