Shape-based calculation and visualisation of general cross-sections through biological data

The paper reports a solution to the problem of image interpolation for generating, with high precision, an arbitrary cross-section from a series of slices. Shape-based interpolation as proposed allows the interpolation process to be influenced by the shape of the object. It is accomplished first by creating reconstructed shapes of the objects from a series of slices. Correspondence vectors distributed along the object surface are then generated from the reconstructed shapes. These vectors ensure the correct image interpolation on the boundaries of objects. Next, the correspondence vectors are interpolated to every image point within the new cross-section in process, and the image points at the start and end of a vector are linearly interpolated. Places where the correspondence vectors cannot be (branching or holes in the object shape) are treated separately. Results are presented from biological data obtained using an optical microscope. The data indicate that the proposed method produces more accurate results than commonly used interpolation methods, although at the cost of increased computation.