An apparatus for rendering a two dimensional polygon image from volume
data defining a volume and plane data defining a two dimensional plane
which intersects the volume. The apparatus comprises a graphics
processing unit (GPU). The apparatus is operable to generate triangle
data comprising an indirect representation of each triangle of a set of
candidate triangles. For a given plane/volume interaction a subset of the
candidate triangles are valid triangles which are within the volume and
on the given plane and the remaining triangles are invalid triangles. The
GPU is operable to process the indirect representation of each triangle
of the set of candidate triangles to output for a valid triangle for the
defined plane a direct representation of the valid triangle and to output
for an invalid triangle for the defined plane a direct representation of
a degenerate triangle. The GPU is operable to reject each direct
representation of a degenerate triangle from further processing. The GPU
is also operable to process each direct representation of a valid
triangle to form one or more triangle images which form the two
dimensional polygon image.