I apologize due to time limitations the above description is a bit rough. Anyways, the goal of our project is being able to render a 3D ultrasound image with various 2D ultrasound frames. This is how we plan to set it up; We have two cameras in a stereo configuration. These cameras will track the movements of an ultrasound probe. From the stereo configuration we will use stereoscopic triangulation to derive the position (x,y,z) of the ultrasound probe. Furthermore, we will collect the various 2D ultrasound images from the probe. These images will then be paired with the know postilion of the probe previously calculated by the camera.
After that is completed we plan to use the data (2D ultrasound images, and position of acquisition) to properly render a 3D image of the various 2D ultrasound images. Our plan was to create a point cloud from the 2D ultrasound and position of probe. The main obstacle that we are encountering with this method is how would we calculate the (X,Y,Z) points of the point cloud. My general understanding of point cloud suggests that we need to track distinguishable feature within 3D ultrasound image and pair only these feature with the probe position to create a point cloud.
The data flow would look like this
[Calculate Ultrasound Probe Position Using Two Stereoscopic Cameras] > (x,y,z)
[Acquire 2D Ultrasound Images With Ultrasound ] > (an array of 2d US images)
>>(Pair the coordinates of the probe with the corresponding image) > [Calculate the point cloud using distinguishable features within the 2D ultrasound images and track them throughout many frames) Resulting in various (X,Y,Z) coordinates of the point cloud.
This is our plan but we are unsure about how to calculate the point cloud coordinates. There are many obstacles which we have yet to overcome, for example how do we determine the distinguishable features, how do we track them throughout many frames? What happens if we loose a feature in a frame, and how would we integrate for any error?
I hope this helps explain the project adequately. I was unable to provide images because I am on my Black Berry, but they should be up soon enough.
One again any help, suggestions or knowledge regarding this project would be greatly appreciated.