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3D MRA coronary axis determination using a minimum cost path approach
Author(s) -
Wink Onno,
Frangi Alejandro F.,
Verdonck Bert,
Viergever Max A.,
Niessen Wiro J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.10164
Subject(s) - path (computing) , mathematics , nuclear magnetic resonance , computer science , algorithm , physics , programming language
A method is introduced to automatically find the coronary axis based on two or more user‐defined points, even in the presence of a severe stenosis. The coronary axis is determined by finding a minimum cost path (MCP) in a feature image in which the tubular‐like structures are enhanced. The results of the proposed method were compared with manually drawn central axes to estimate the accuracy. In 32 3D TFE‐EPI acquisitions of patients and volunteers, 14 right coronary arteries (RCAs), 15 left anterior descending arteries (LADs), and eight left circumflex arteries (LCXs) were manually tracked twice by two operators to determine a reference axis and to assess the inter‐ and intra‐user variability. On average, the maximum distance to the reference axis, based on only two user‐defined points, is less than 1.5 mm; the average distance is around 0.65 mm, which is less than the average in‐plane resolution. The results of the method are comparable to those of the manual operators. Magn Reson Med 47:1169–1175, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.