TECHNIQUES FOR 3-D ELASTIC SPATIAL REGISTRATION OF MULTIPLE MODES OF MEASURING A BODY

Techniques for registration of multiple measurement modes of a body include receiving first and second data from different modes. Each includes measured values with coordinate values. For two mechanically aligned modes, any nonrigid registration is performed. For some modes, the nonrigid registration includes a coarse transformation and multiple fine scale transformations. The coarse transformation maximizes a coarse similarity measure. The second data is subdivided into contiguous subregions. Fine transformations are determined between the subregions and corresponding portions of the first data to maximize a fine similarity measure. Subdividing and determining fine transformations repeats until stop conditions are satisfied. Transformations between the last divided subregions are interpolated. Any of the fine similarity measure, a search region, interpolation method, sub-division location, and the use of rigid or non-rigid fine transformations are adaptive to properties of the first or second data so that the registration is automatic without human intervention.