1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a 3D (three-dimensional)-image processing apparatus and a 3D-image processing method, which process and display various 3D-image data obtained by diagnosing a subject. The invention relates to a control program for use in the 3D-image processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technology is known, in which a subject is diagnosed at high accuracy by synthesizing images of the subject, which have been prepared by using various diagnostic systems. As known in the art, this technology is used in surgical operations.
Particularly, it is used when a 3D image of the structure of the bones, internal organs and the like, obtained by computed tomography (CT), is synthesized with a 3D image representing the functional of the bones, internal organs and the like, obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Before the two 3D are synthesized, they are associated or the markers attached them are associated, thereby correcting the displacement of the 3D images. Thus, desirable synthesized information is acquired (see, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-137711).
However, many manual operations are required to associate the two images obtained by CT and MRI or to attach markers to these images. The operator's workload is inevitably heavy. This is because the subject is scanned from various directions in the process of providing the 3D images. Ultimately, it is difficult to achieve an accurate diagnosis in a short time.