METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED VISUALIZATION OF A CURVED STRUCTURE BY AUTOMATICALLY DISPLAYING A RENDERED VIEW OF A CURVED IMAGE SLICE

A processor identifies a curved structure in three-dimensional medical image data. The processor selects a plane in the three-dimensional medical image data based at least in part on the identified curved structure. The processor defines a curved image slice in the selected plane based at least in part on the identified curved structure. The curved image slice may be defined by drawing a pair of curved lines on opposite sides of the identified curved structure in the selected plane. The distance between the pair of curved lines may define a thickness of the curved image slice. The processor generates a rendered image of the defined curved image slice. The rendered image may be generally perpendicular to the selected plane. The rendered image and/or the selected plane having the pair of curved lines superimposed on opposite sides of the identified curved structure may be presented at a display system.