Computer assisted coronary intervention by use of on-line 3D reconstruction and optimal view strategy

Abstract

A novel method has been developed for on-line reconstruction of the 3D coronary arterial tree based on a pair of routine angiograms acquired from any two arbitrary viewing angles using a single-plane or biplane imaging system. An arterial segment of interest {e. g., coronary stenosis) is selected on the projection of reconstructed 3D coronary model. Afterwards, the process of optimal view strategy is employed resulting in foreshortening, overlap, and composite maps relative to the selected arterial segment by which any computer-generated projection associated with the gantry orientation can be previewed. By use of the three maps, the views with minimal foreshortening and vessel overlap for the selected arterial segment of interest can be determined to guide subsequent angiogram acquisitions for interventional procedure. More than 200 cases of coronary arterial systems have been reconstructed. A validation confirmed the accuracy of 3D length measurement to within RMS 3. 1% error using 8 pairs of angiograms of intra-coronary catheter wire of 105 mm length.