Color-coded volume rendering for three-dimensional reconstructions of CT data.

Purpose: To evaluate a technique of colored three-dimensional reconstructio ns without segmentation. Material and Methods: Color-coded volume rendered images were reconstructed from the volume data of 25 thoracic, abdominal, m usculoskeletal, and vascular helical CT scans using commercial software. Th e CT volume rendered voxels were encoded with color in the following manner . Opacity, hue, lightness, and chroma were assigned to each of four classes defined by CT number. Color-coded reconstructions were compared to the cor responding grey-scale coded reconstructions. Results: Color coded volume re ndering enabled realistic visualisation of pathologic findings when there w as sufficient difference in CT density. Segmentation was necessary in some cases to demonstrate small details in a complex volume. Conclusion: Color c oded volume rendering allowed lifelike visualisation of CT volumes without the need of segmentation in most cases.