title: Hybrid rendering of the cervico-cranial arteries using spiral computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to develop a shaded-surface and volume display (hybrid rendering method) of the whole vascular system of the cervico-cranial arteries using spiral computed tomography (SCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 12 patients with anatomic abnormalities and pathological conditions of the arterial vascular system. The cervico-cranial arteries were segmented using an interactive threshold interval density volume-growing method and visualized with a color-coded shaded-surface display (SSD) rendering method. The adjacent bone structures were visualized using a transparent volume rendering method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all cases, the entire volume of the vascular system of the cervico-cranial arteries and the anatomic abnormalities and pathological conditions could be visualized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hybrid rendering of the circulation of the cervico-cranial arteries using image data sets from a subsecond spiral CT scanner is useful for the visualization of anatomical and pathological abnormalities and offer a promising minimally invasive alternative compared with other diagnostic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, Munich, D-81377, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seemann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Englmeier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haubner
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luboldt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heuck
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reiser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*