MENTORS

Prof. Gabor Fichtinger, Andras Lasso

info: www.cs.queensu.ca/~gabor, email: gabor@cs.queensu.ca

BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE

Acquisition of three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound images is an essential technique for various image-guided interventional procedures. The 3D volumes are constructed from a set of image slices acquired by an ultrasound transducer equipped with a position tracking device.

The limitation of the method is that it is not feasible to acquire so many image slices that would completely fill a high-resolution volume, but there are "holes" in the volume between the image slices.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• Review methods that have been proposed for filling holes in volumetric ultrasound images
• Implement a chosen hole-filling algorithm (preferably in C++, but also acceptable in Matlab)
• Test and optimize the algorithm

SKILLS DEVELOPED

Context: Learn basic contexts of ultrasound imaging, position tracking devices, 3D image processing, and image-guided surgery.

Analytical: Image processing, interpolation, visualization.

Experimental: Ultrasound image acquisition, using optical and electromagnetic position tracking devices. 

BACKGROUND REQUIRED

Practical and experimental aptitude and mindset, calculus, linear algebra, numerical methods (optimization), programming in C++ or MATLAB.

Preferred Prerequisites: Any combination of Computer Integrated Surgery, Medical Informatics or Medical Imaging, Math/Linear algebra