One-sided transparency: A novel visualization for tubular objects

This paper describes a unique method for tubular object visualization. The method involves rendering the exterior of the tube invisible while keeping the interior visible. This “One-sided-transparency” technique renders a more complete view of the tube's interior. When applied to virtual colonoscopy (VC), it compares favorably to existing methods. It provides more complete images, reduces computational time, and reduces memory requirements while preserving VCs benefits for patients and practitioners. The approach also has various potential uses outside of VC.