A medical viewing system having means, for analysing and visualising
medical image data corresponding to folded surfaces, comprises means of
segmentation of the image data to identify the object surface, means for
approximating the object surface by a reference surface, and means for
detecting folded portions of the object surface including means for
determining points of the reference surface at which a normal to a zone
forming a patch on the reference surface intersects with the object
surface. If there are more than one point of intersection, then that
patch corresponds to a folded portion of the object surface. Fold-portion
patches are assigned a code such that, on display or printing of an image
(RP) corresponding to the reference surface, the fold-portions will be
flagged (for example by coloured or patterned regions (HP). Other
fold-attribute data can also be determined, coded and displayed: for
example, the number and location of intersections between the first
surface and the normal to the fold-portion patch, the distance to the
first intersection, the distance between the second and third
intersections, etc.