A new algorithm for calculating optimal viewing angles in coronary angiography based on 4-D cardiac computed tomography

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Chen, Xiaodong^; | Li, Junwei^; | Zhang, Zhaoxia^; | Wang, Yi^; | Jia, Zhongwei | Pu, Kui | Yu, Daoyin^;

Affiliations: College of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China | Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, People's Liberation Army 254 Hospital, Tianjin, China | Key Laboratory of Opto-electronics Information Technology (Tianjin University), Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China

Note: [] Corresponding author: Xiaodong Chen, Precision Inst/Opto Elec Engg, Tianjin Univ, 92 WeiJin Rd Nankai Dist, Tianjin, China. Fax: +86 22 2740 4535; E-mail: xdchen@tju.edu.cn

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Coronary stenosis is the main cause of the coronary heart disease (CHD). However, coronary arteriography (CAG), which is considered as the 'gold standard' of determining the location and severity of CHD, hardly acquires a satisfactory image for some lesions by traditional viewing angles. OBJECTIVE: We proposed a new approach to calculate the optimal viewing angles of CAG system to observe vessel segment of interest. METHODS: Firstly, the 4-D coronary arteries are segmented to obtain a dynamic vessel model. Then, a "rendering" method in computer graphics is used to calculate the optimal viewing angles of the vessel segment in the entire cardiac cycle. At last, an intersection of these angles can be regarded as the optimal ones in the whole cardiac cycle. RESULTS: Within the constraint of 2% foreshortening, the single phase data show 1% foreshortening without overlapping at the optimal angles proposed by our method, compared with 1.8% foreshortening at working angles set by clinical experts. And the multi-phase experiments also have good results. CONCLUSIONS: The new approach can provide doctors optimal viewing angles of interested vessel segment in the whole cardiac cycle.

Keywords: 4-D cardiac CT, coronary angiography (CAG), 3-D coronary segmentation, optimal viewing angles

DOI: 10.3233/XST-140415

Journal: Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 137-145, 2014