A method of extracting isosurface data from hierarchical node data,
including providing hierarchical node data representing an object, the
hierarchical node data including a lowest hierarchy level having a
plurality of leaf nodes and a plurality of higher hierarchy levels each
having a plurality of non-leaf nodes each encompassing ones of the
plurality of leaf nodes. The method also includes determining a plurality
of leaf node splats each corresponding to one of the plurality of leaf
nodes that includes a portion of an isosurface, wherein each of the
plurality of leaf node splats is based on scalar data corresponding to at
least one of the plurality of leaf nodes. A plurality of non-leaf node
splats each corresponding to one of the plurality of non-leaf nodes that
includes a portion of the isosurface is also determined, wherein each of
the plurality of non-leaf node splats is based on a plurality of splats
each corresponding to a lower hierarchical node.