Can we optimize our angiographic views every time? Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of a new functionality.
OBJECTIVE
For determining the optimum angulations of the x-ray beam with respect to the vascular morphology of a given patient, the authors present a solution combining a single-plane angiographic system and a dedicated procedure.


METHODS
The clinical evaluation of the vessel profiling acquisitions focuses on qualitative appraisal and quantitative analysis of conventional and optimum projections.


RESULTS
The qualitative evaluation demonstrates the pitfall for an operator to discern optimum from conventional projections. The 70% of preferences for vessel profiling bear witness to the constraints imposed occasionally by the optimum angulations, which may be impracticable for various reasons. However, vessel profiling yields lesions inspection at an optimum view, free of geometric foreshortening. Moreover, there is less risk of superimposition with other branches. From a quantitative standpoint, vessel profiling unveils the lesion with a length significantly longer than in conventional view.


CONCLUSIONS
Vessel profiling offers a qualitative optimization of angiographic images and more exact quantitative analysis.
Finet
G
G
Department of Hemodynamics and Radiology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, France.
Masquet
C
C
Eifferman
A
A
Funck
F
F
Lefèvre
T
T
Marco
J
J
Amiel
M
M
Beaune
J
J
Liénard
J
J
D000790:Angiocardiography / Q000379:methods; D016477:Artifacts; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D012984:Software; D014965:X-Rays