CT #s corresponding to spatial coordinates

I have a CT image data(transverse slices),CT of 512*512*30. I know how to find CT # for any slice k corresponding to ith row and jth column, CT#=CT(i,j,k).I now trace a ray,starting from source point(0,0,100) then goes through CT image data and finally strikes to detector point(say 10,25,-50). Spatial coordinates for source and detector points are determined with isocenter taken at (0,0,0).Using linspace I can find spatial coordinates(i.e.,x,y,z)of points between source point and detector point. So, I have,say 105 intermediate points and I know their x,y,z coordinates.Say, 15 points lie outside of CT image data(i.e.in air) before passing through it and another 15 points also lie outside of CT image data(i.e.in air) after exiting through it. For remaining 75 points(assuming a ray goes through each slice), how can I assign CT # to each points(with their known spatial coordinates). Basically it means how can I get CT#=CT(x,y,z,15)for a point in 15th slice with its spatial coordinates x,y,z. I tried with, c = improfile(I,xi,yi,n)but got error message when tried to extend it, c = improfile(I,xi,yi,zi,n). Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!!

[Naz]

I understood that you have some number of rays and you want to assign to each coordinate a number of the ray that passes through it. Is that right?

It depends on how you design your system. If your x-ray is a point source, than unlimited number of rays pass through each coordinate. If you have an array source of parallel rays, then you can assume some width of the ray and consequently each ray will pass through a limited set of coordinates around the line of propagation (no scattering).

[Naz]

In other words you can imagine each ray as a bar rather than a line.

[Bibek]

I think I am trying to do something different. I traced a ray through CT slice data. I also know 3 dimensional spatial coordinates of points through which the ray traverses. I now need to find out CT number corresponding to these points.For example if the ray passes through a point P with spatial coordinates (-10,15,-50)then I need to figure out what is CT # corresponding to P.

[Naz]

And what is CT#?

[Image Analyst]

Those are the digital numbers the Computed Tomography unit gives, called Hounsfield Units: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hounsfield_scale.

Bibek, how did my suggestion work out for you?

[Bibek]

In matlab help I found the code, VI = interp3(X,Y,Z,V,XI,YI,ZI). So, in my case V=CT, it is of size 512*512*30,X=x_coordinates, Y=y_coordinates and Z=z_coordinates. All these X,Y,Z are matrices I created myself and are also of size 512*512*30. Since I am trying to find CT # corresponding to a point with x,y,z coordinates(1.5,25,15), I kept XI=1.5,YI=25,ZI=15. But I got a error message:

vi=interp3(x_Coordinates,y_Coordinates,z_Coordinates,CT,1.5,25,15);

??? Error using ==> interp3 at 138

X, Y and Z must be matrices produced by MESHGRID. Use

TriScatteredInterp instead

of INTERP3 for scattered data.

In my case I create x,y,z coordinates as

X9=1:1:512;

x_Coordinates=repmat(X9,[512,1,75]);% first row corresponds to 712 z-coordinates(all zeros) for 1st image and so on

Y9=1:1:512;

y_Coordinates=repmat(Y9,[512,1,75]);

Z9=0:2.5:185;

for i=1:75;

z_Coordinates(:,:,i)=repmat(Z9(1,i),[512,512,1]);

end

Since I don't know anything about meshgrid, I am not sure I will be able to create x,y,z coordinates like above using meshgrid.

When I tried with TriScatteredInterp I got this error message:

vi=TriScatteredInterp(x_Coordinates,y_Coordinates,z_Coordinates,CT,1.5,25,15);

??? Error using ==> TriScatteredInterp

Incorrect number of arguments for TriScatteredInterp.

I don't know where I did a mistake. Probably I was wrong in defining X,Y,Z and XI,YI,ZI. Any help will be appreciated.

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

Why not just use trilinear interpolation? I don't think there's a built-in function for it, but it would be easy enough to program up yourself.