Video Rate Shading for Volume Data

This paper presents a new system for the generation of video rate images from voxel based volume data, in which novel approaches have been applied to the problems of shading and lighting. The shading algorithm combines a three dimensional 3 3 3 window of voxels with look up table based shading. A restricted lighting and viewing model reduces calculation complexity without greatly affecting medical information present in images. Many applications of this technology currently exist and further applications are possible through the exploration of other volume visualisation techniques.