A survey of the marching cubes algorithm

A survey of the development of the marching cubes algorithm [W. Lorensen, H. Cline, Marching cubes: a high resolution 3D surface construction algorithm. Computer Graphics 1987; 21(4):163–9], a well-known cell-by-cell method for extraction of isosurfaces from scalar volumetric data sets, is presented. The paper’s primary aim is to survey the development of the algorithm and its computational properties, extensions, and limitations (including the attempts to resolve its limitations). A rich body of publications related to this aim are included. Representative applications and spin-off work are also considered and related techniques are briefly discussed. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.