Conformal Map for Coronary Artery Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for visualizing coronary arteries in medical imaging, such as CT angiography, face challenges in representing complex three-dimensional vascular structures in a two-dimensional format without significant distortion, losing anatomical context, and failing to provide interactive and comprehensive views of the entire vascular tree.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for two-dimensional mapping of anatomical structures, specifically adapting a virtual network structure to the spatial course of vascular structures, using user-defined map projections, and generating output images based on points of intersection with radially extending half lines to minimize distortion and preserve anatomical context, allowing for isometric representation of tree-like elongated structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional MPR representations are used to visualize blood vessels, then the anatomical structures can be represented in different orientations, but the complex three-dimensional geometry of vessels causes only small sections to be identified in each image slice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms three-dimensional vascular structures into a two-dimensional conformal map representation, allowing the entire vascular tree to be visualized in a single image while preserving anatomical context and relationships that would be lost in conventional slice-by-slice MPR views
2Ease of operation
If curved planar reformation (CPR) is used to visualize vessels, then flexible cuts through datasets can be generated defined by geometric center lines, but an entire plurality of segments cannot be represented in a single image and anatomical context is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple CPR views of different vascular segments into a single unified conformal map representation, allowing the entire coronary tree to be displayed in one image while maintaining the anatomical relationships and context that would be lost when viewing segments separately
3Shape
If conformal maps are used to preserve angle relationships in anatomical structures, then similarity of the object can be retained in the projection, but local or global scaling occurs leading to enlarged or reduced representation of individual regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality adjustment by allowing different regions of the conformal map to have different scaling characteristics, enabling both preservation of angle relationships globally while accommodating local variations in vessel geometry and anatomy to prevent unnatural enlargement or reduction of specific regions
4Ease of operation
If conventional CPR representations of multiple vascular segments are viewed in sequence and next to one another in separate views, then individual vessels can be examined, but the visualization becomes artificial-looking and schematic losing the tree structure and anatomical context
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate CPR representations of multiple vascular segments into a single integrated conformal map that preserves the tree-like structure and anatomical context, eliminating the artificial and schematic appearance of sequential separate views while maintaining the ability to examine individual vessel segments
Data Source
AI summary
A method, for two-dimensional mapping of anatomical structures of a patient, includes acquiring three-dimensional image data of anatomical structures of a patient; adapting a virtual network structure to a spatial course of the anatomical structures; defining a user-defined map projection for projection of two-dimensional pixel positions of an image to be output onto a geometric figure around a center of the anatomical structures for which mapping onto a two-dimensional space is defined; ascertaining points of intersection of radially extending half lines assigned to the two-dimensional pixel positions of the image to be output with the virtual network structure; and ascertaining the image to be output based upon image intensity values assigned to the points of intersection ascertained. A method for two-dimensional mapping of the tree-like elongated structure of the patient; a method for simultaneous mapping of a tree-like elongated structure; and corresponding apparatuses are also described.