This controller provides a lightweight approach to generate synthetic IVUS-like images for catheter navigation.

[rmolazem]

IVUSController simulates a simplified Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) imaging process inside a SOFA scene. The controller generates synthetic ultrasound frames by emitting radial rays from several probe points located near the tip of the catheter and computing their intersections with the vessel wall mesh.

For each probe point, a set of rays is cast in multiple angular directions within a maximum sensing depth. Ray–triangle intersections are computed using the vessel mesh topology, optionally restricted to a region of interest (ROI) to reduce the number of tested triangles. The distance between the probe and the first intersection with the vessel wall is then mapped to a pixel intensity using a simple attenuation model, producing a polar ultrasound slice.

Multiple probe points close to the catheter tip are used to reconstruct a side-section IVUS image, approximating the cross-sectional view typically observed in real IVUS systems.

Main features:

• Ray-based ultrasound simulation around the catheter tip
• ROI-based triangle filtering for faster intersection tests
• Distance-to-intensity mapping with attenuation
• Support for multiple probe points to reconstruct the IVUS slice
• Uses vessel mesh topology and collision geometry already available in the SOFA scene