Clinical visualization Tools for Peripheral CT-Angiography

The peripheral vascular disease is a significant health problem in the industrialized world. Latest technology multi- slice computed tomography angiography (CTA) has the potential to non-invasively image the entire lower extremity arterial tree. Effective interpretation of CTA of peripheral arterial disease, however, requires the development of new segmentation, vessel modeling and visualization techniques. The ultimate goal of the project is to prove that CT-Angiography is the most suitable technique for investigation and evaluation of the lower extremity arterial disease. As such, the project has three major goals. First, we want to continue in our research, namely in further development of the VesselGlyph concept, implicit vessel tree modeling and model-based segmentation. Here, the topics of interactive hardware supported visualization and processing of huge data sets, together with spatial analysis of vessel parameter dependency will play the major role. Second, we want to implement the results of our research conducted in the framework of the FWF AngioVis project (FWF P- 15217, April 2002--May 2004) and other projects as well as the new results obtained, in a form of a clinically amenable software system. This system will be equipped with all the diagnostically necessary features and will enable routine processing of CTA datasets in a reasonable time frame. Thus, the necessary conditions for achieving of the third goal of the project, a medically relevant evaluation and, in a broader context, routine application of the CT-Angiography in a clinical environment, will be created. We propose an interdisciplinary approach, with one clinical site, two technical development sites in the field of computer graphics and medical imaging, and one internatinal collaborating site at Stanford Univeristy (USA). Such interdisciplinarity will provide us a with fast clinically relevant feedback, which would enable us to incorporate the necessary features and changes already in the early research and development stages. We expect to complete the research and implementation within a three year period. With the successful completion of this project we hope to lay the ground for non-invasive CTA to ultimately replace the invasive and costly intra-arterial catheter angiography as a pre-therapeutic imaging modality.