SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RADIOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF A NODULE FOR MALIGNANT SENSITIVITY

Systems and methods of guiding a clinician in a medical procedure for a nodule involve receiving three-dimensional (3D) image data, generating a volumetric vector map based on the 3D image data, and displaying the volumetric vector map in a way, e.g., via a heat map, that assists a clinician in performing a medical procedure. The systems and methods involve identifying volumetric parameters of the nodule in the 3D image data, generating a voxel map based on the volumetric parameters, identifying a maximum attenuation value in the 3D space of the voxel map, applying a differential equation, e.g., a gradient, to the 3D space of the voxel map from a voxel with the maximum attenuation value to other voxels within the voxel map, and generating a volumetric vector map based on the result of applying the differential equation.