Three-dimensional Reconstruction and Cross-section Measurements of Coronary Arteries using ECG-Correlated Digital Coronary Arteriography

Abstract

The advent of digital image processing has facilitated accurate quantitative analysis of coronary artery morphology [1–7]. To optimally utilize the morphological information available in multi-view cine-angiography and potentially completely replace inaccurate visual determinations of lesion severity [8–13], it is desirable to consolidate the information available into a single densitometric analysis of the arterial tree. In recent years the problem of three-dimensional reconstruction of vascular beds from multi-view angiography has been addressed by several research groups [14–20]. Methodology utilized include the centerline reconstruction methods of Potel et al. [15] and Kim [16], circular reconstructions of Mol et al. [18], the morphologic cross-section reconstructions of Reiber et al. [17] and other multi-view tomographic techniques such as those of Kruger [19] and Mawko [20].