Model Based Reconstruction of the Bony Knee Anatomy from 3d Ultrasound Images

We developed an image processing chain as well as a related clinical workflow to reconstruct entire bone surfaces from 3D ultrasound volume data (see figure 1). A clinician acquires ultrasound images from relevant areas while scanning from various directions. The probe is tracked, the limb is equipped with non-invasive markers. The user is guided by a simple navigation interface in order to follow a standardized scanning process. Having acquired the necessary data, the volume images are segmented and registered to obtain a preliminary reconstruction. Due to acoustic shadowing, the reconstruction might be incomplete. However, incorporating a priori knowledge, the reconstruction can be completed. The applicability of our approach is demonstrated on the surface reconstruction of the distal femur.