Fuzzy inference based augmented reality in MR cholangiopancreatography images

Augmented reality (AR) is a combination of a real scene viewed and a virtual scene generated by a computer. This paper introduces fuzzy inference techniques into AR. The fuzzy inference based AR enhances a region of interest (ROI) in medical images using expert knowledge expressed with fuzzy if-then rules. Therefore, the AR enables users who are not familiar with such medical images to observe the ROIs as well as expert´s observation. Especially this paper discusses the fuzzy inference based AR in MR Cholangiopancreatography images. The AR enhances tube-formed tissues such as the pancreatic duct. In this case, a step for finding the tissue using fuzzy inference is included. We apply the proposed the fuzzy inference based AR to three subjects. Through experimental results, we showed the pancreatic duct was successfully found from any subjects and could clearly augment the 3D shape of the pancreatic duct.