title: Computerized System for Quantitative Assessment of Atherosclerotic Plaques in the Femoral and Iliac Arteries Visualized by Multislice Computed Tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The investigation is aimed at the development of a semiautomatic method of examining the femoral and iliac arteries, and quantifying atherosclerotic plaques visible in the multislice computed tomography images.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have utilized the advanced morphology and segmentation methods for processing of a series of the images. In particular, a novel sorted pixel intensity approach to segment the artery into the lumen/plaque regions has been used, and effectively combined with the Gaussian mixture modeling to increase the accuracy of the segmentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our numerical results are compared with those obtained manually by two experts. Statistics relevant to the progression of atherosclerosis have also been suggested. Results of the semiautomatic tracking of the femoral and iliac arteries and of the quantitative evaluation of atherosclerotic alterations therein have been shown to correspond well with the expert's results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The developed system is likely to be valuable tool for supporting the quantitative evaluation of atherosclerotic changes in arteries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In its present form the system can be used for planning surgical treatment and/or predicting the course of the atherosclerotic alterations.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Markiewicz
authors.forename: Miroslaw
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dziekiewicz
authors.forename: Stanislaw
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Osowski
authors.forename: Romana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boguslawska-Walecka
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kozlowski
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruszynski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*