Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Dominik Bernhardt

Fernando Vega-Higuera

Michael Scheuering

Dorin Comaniciu

Bogdan Georgescu

Shaohua Kevin Zhou

Thomas Beck

Christina Biermann

Puneet Sharma

Ali Kamen

Sasa Grbic

Lucian Mihai Itu

David D Liu

Razvan Ioan Ionasec

Huseyin Tek

Johann Uebler

Xudong Zheng

Yefeng Zheng

Michael Kelm

Carsten Thierfelder

Ute Feuerlein

Jan Kretschmer

Alexey Tsymbal

Sascha Seifert

Sushil Mittal

Christian Godenschwager

Jörg Hausleiter

Stefan Groβkopf

Miriam Bauer

A method and apparatus for detecting vascular landmarks in a 3D image volume, such as a CT volume, is disclosed. One or more guide slices are detected in a 3D image volume. A set of landmark candidates for multiple target vascular landmarks are then detected based on the guide slices. A node potential value for each landmark candidate is generated based on an error value determined using spatial histogram-based error regression, and edge potential values for pairs of landmark candidates are generated based on a bifurcation analysis of the image volume using vessel tracing. The optimal landmark candidate for each target landmark is then determined using a Markov random field model based on the node potential values and the edge potential values.

System and method for detecting landmarks in a three-dimensional image volume

A method and system for non-invasive assessment of coronary artery stenosis is disclosed. Patient-specific anatomical measurements of the coronary arteries are extracted from medical image data of a patient acquired during rest state. Patient-specific rest state boundary conditions of a model of coronary circulation representing the coronary arteries are calculated based on the patient-specific anatomical measurements and non-invasive clinical measurements of the patient at rest. Patient-specific rest state boundary conditions of the model of coronary circulation representing the coronary arteries are calculated based on the patient-specific anatomical measurements and non-invasive clinical measurements of the patient at rest. Hyperemic blood flow and pressure across at least one stenosis region of the coronary arteries are simulated using the model of coronary circulation and the patient-specific hyperemic boundary conditions. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is calculated for the at least one stenosis region based on the simulated hyperemic blood flow and pressure.

Non-invasive functional assessment of coronary artery stenosis including simulation of hyperemia by changing resting microvascular resistance

A method and system for automatic aortic valve calcification evaluation is disclosed. A patient-specific aortic valve model in a 3D medical image volume, such as a 3D computed tomography (CT) volume. Calcifications in a region of the 3D medical image volume defined based on the aortic valve model. A 2D calcification plot is generated that shows locations of the segmented calcifications relative to aortic valve leaflets of the patient-specific aortic valve model. The 2D calcification plot can be used for assessing the suitability of a patient for a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVI) procedure, as well as risk assessment, positioning of an aortic valve implant, and selection of a type of aortic valve implant.

Method and system for aortic valve calcification evaluation

A method and a device are disclosed for automated detection of at least one part of the central line of at least one portion of a tubular tissue structure. In at least one embodiment of the method, characteristic landmarks of the tubular tissue structure are detected in a 3D data record of the tubular tissue structure; the detected characteristic landmarks of the tubular tissue structure and landmarks of a model of landmarks, which model belongs to the tubular tissue structure and takes into account the position of the landmarks relative to one another, are related to one another such that at least one portion of the tubular tissue structure is identified in the 3D data record of the tubular tissue structure. The central line of the identified portion of the tubular tissue structure is determined at least in part on the basis of at least one detected characteristic landmark and/or at least one landmark of the model of landmarks.

Method and device for automated detection of the central line of at least one portion of a tubular tissue structure

A method is disclosed for determining a boundary surface network of a tubular object. An ordered series of contours is first supplied on the basis of image data in a source space. A transformation function is created for at least two consecutive contours in the series, and a unit space segment object is created in the unit space on the basis of the consecutive contours. A local signed distance function is determined in the unit space. In addition, a relative positional information of a query point is determined in the source space from a surface of a segment object in the source space, the segment object being based on the consecutive contours, on the basis of the local signed distance function in the unit space and using the transformation function. Finally, the boundary surface network is created on the basis of the relative positional information that has been determined.

Method and system for determining a boundary surface network

A device is disclosed for determining and visualizing the perfusion of the myocardial muscle with the aid of static CCTA images. In at least one embodiment, the device includes a segmentation unit for segmenting the coronary blood vessels and the left myocardial muscle from a CCTA image of the heart; a first simulation unit for simulating the blood flow through the coronary blood vessels; and a second simulation unit by which the local perfusion of the myocardial muscle is determined on the basis of the ascertained blood flow into different regions of the myocardial muscle. The perfusion of the different regions of the myocardial muscle is visualized in a schematized image on a visualization unit. By virtue of the proposed device it is possible to dispense with further imaging examinations after the performance of a CCTA scan, thereby relieving the pressure both on the part of the physician and on the part of the patient.

Device and computed tomography scanner for determining and visualizing the perfusion of the myocardial muscle

In a method for visualizing at least one section of a wall of an atrium of the heart in a patient after an ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation, a volume data record of at least the treated atrium of the heart in the patient is segmented to establish voxels that are of an inner surface, an outer surface, and a volume situated between the inner and outer surfaces of the wall of the treated atrium. The at least one section of the wall of the treated atrium of the heart is visualized by volume rendering or ray casting such that only voxel values of the established voxels that lie on the inner surface in the volume or on the outer surface of the wall of the treated atrium are used.

Method for visualizing an atrium of the heart in a patient

A method and system for automated intervention planning for transcatheter aortic valve implantations using computed tomography (CT) data is disclosed. A patient-specific aortic valve model is detected in a CT volume of a patient. The patient-specific aortic valve model is detected by detecting a global location of the patient-specific aortic valve model in the CT volume, detecting aortic valve landmarks based on the detected global location, and fitting an aortic root surface model. Angulation parameters of a C-arm imaging device for acquiring intra-operative fluoroscopic images and anatomical measurements of the aortic valve are automatically determined based on the patient-specific aortic valve model.

Method and system for intervention planning for transcatheter aortic valve implantation from 3D computed tomography data

A method and a computer system are disclosed for automatically generating a statistical vascular model of a patient group. In at least one embodiment, the method includes collecting determining patient-related vascular coordinates models from a multiplicity of vascular landmark coordinates of vascular landmarks, centerline coordinates on vessel centerlines and vessel contour coordinates on vessel contour edge profiles; determining body landmark coordinates of body landmarks; registering the vessel-related coordinates to patient-related registered vascular coordinates models; merging patient-related vascular parameter models to form at least one statistical vascular parameter model; determining the statistical parameters thereof; and saving and/or outputting the at least one statistical vascular parameter model.

Method and computer system for automatically generating a statistical model

A method for automatic detection of a contrast agent inflow in a blood vessel of a patient with a CT system, and CT system for carrying out this method, are disclosed. At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a method which determines the position of at least one blood vessel in section image representations in a CT examination without external intervention with the aid of an active shape or active appearance model, measures the inflow of contrast agent in this region in a targeted way and automatically initiates at least one action in the event of inflowing contrast agent.

Method for automatic detection of a contrast agent inflow in a blood vessel of a patient with a CT system and CT system for carrying out this method

The present invention provides a method and system for vascular landmark detection in CT volumes. A CT volume is received and an initial position of a plurality of vascular landmarks is detected. The initial position of each of the plurality of vascular landmarks is then adjusted in order to position each vascular landmark inside a vessel lumen. A new position of each of the plurality of vascular landmarks representing the adjusted initial positions is output.

Method and system for vascular landmark detection

A method and a data-processing system are disclosed for determining the proportion of calcium in coronary arteries using image data from CT angiography. In at least one embodiment of the method, anatomical landmarks are detected in the image data in the region of the heart and coronary arteries are segmented taking into account the detected landmarks. Regions with an increased HU value compared to a contrast agent surroundings are segmented in the segmented coronary arteries. A proportion of calcium respectively is calculated from the segmented regions for one or more of the segmented coronary arteries. At least the last two steps are carried out fully automatically by a data-processing system. Weighting factors for the individual regions are used when calculating the proportion of calcium, which weighting factors depend on both the threshold for segmenting the respective region and the volume of said region. The method and the data-processing system of at least one embodiment allow the dose exposure of the patient to be reduced and reduce the time expenditure of the user for determining the proportion of calcium.

Growing community of inventors

Hausen, Germany

Dominik Bernhardt