We present an efficient GPU-based method to generate virtual X-ray images from tetrahedral meshes which are associated with attenuation values. In addition, a novel approach is proposed that performs the model deformation on the GPU. The tetrahedral grids are derived from volumetric statistical shape and intensity models (SSIMs) and describe anatomical structures. Our research targets at reconstructing 3D anatomical shapes by comparing virtual X-ray images generated using our novel approach with clinical data while varying the shape and density of the SSIM in an optimization process. We assume that a deformed SSIM adequately represents an anatomy of interest when the similarity between the virtual and the clinical X-ray image is maximized. The OpenGL implementation presented here generates accurate (virtual) X-ray images at interactive rates, thus qualifying it for its use in the reconstruction process.
This work won the NVIDIA Best Poster at the third Eurographics Workshop on Visual Computing for Biology and Medicine (VCBM).