05/01/1991 09:00 AM
Computer Science
There are a great range of possible choices to make in rendering volumetric data. The choices can make a difference in time and space requirements, ease of implementation, and the nature of the final image. Some make an objectifiable difference in image quality, e.g. causing aliasing and incorrect discontinuities and holes. Others cause more subjective variations, and the desired effect is more a matter of personal choice than inaccurate information content. The repercussions of the many choices should be EXAmined before choosing or designing software. What follows is a rather preliminary and subjective discussion of the issues that need to be examined. It certainly isn\'t complete, but hopefully will stimulate discussion. Most of the discussion concentrates on direct volume rendering, where approaches are especially flexible. Occasional mention is made of methods that extract features such as isosurfaces to produce geometrical representations.
