From real MRA to virtual MRA: Towards an open-source framework

Abstract

Angiographic imaging is a crucial domain of medical imaging. In particular,Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) is used for both clinical and research purposes. This article presents the first framework geared toward the design of virtual MRA images from real MRA images. It relies on a pipeline that involves image processing,vascular modeling,computational fluid dynamics and MR image simulation,with several purposes. It aims to provide to the whole scientific community (1) software tools for MRA analysis and blood flow simulation; and (2) data (computational meshes,virtual MRAs with associated ground truth),in an open-source/open-data paradigm. Beyond these purposes,it constitutes a versatile tool for progressing in the understanding of vascular networks,especially in the brain,and the associated imaging technologies.