title: Currently available methodologies for the processing of intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography images.
abstract: Optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound are the most widely used methodologies in clinical practice as they provide high resolution cross-sectional images that allow comprehensive visualization of the lumen and plaque morphology. Several methods have been developed in recent years to process the output of these imaging modalities, which allow fast, reliable and reproducible detection of the luminal borders and characterization of plaque composition. These methods have proven useful in the study of the atherosclerotic process as they have facilitated analysis of a vast amount of data. This review presents currently available intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography processing methodologies for segmenting and characterizing the plaque area, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages, and discusses the future trends in intravascular imaging.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Technology and Intelligent Information Systems, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, GR 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Lambros
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Athanasiou
authors.forename: Antonis I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Sakellarios
authors.forename: Christos V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Bourantas
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsirka
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Siogkas
authors.forename: Themis P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Exarchos
authors.forename: Katerina K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: Lampros K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Michalis
authors.forename: Dimitrios I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Fotiadis
mesh_terms: D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
keywords: atherosclerotic plaque; border detection; hybrid imaging; intravascular ultrasound; optical coherence tomography