title: Stenosis map for volume visualization of constricted tubular structures: Application to coronary artery stenosis.
abstract: Although direct volume rendering (DVR) has become a commodity, effective rendering of interesting features is still a challenge. In one of active DVR application fields, the medicine, radiologists have used DVR for the diagnosis of lesions or diseases that should be visualized distinguishably from other surrounding anatomical structures. One of most frequent and important radiologic tasks is the detection of lesions, usually constrictions, in complex tubular structures. In this paper, we propose a 3D spatial field for the effective visualization of constricted tubular structures, called as a stenosis map which stores the degree of constriction at each voxel. Constrictions within tubular structures are quantified by using newly proposed measures (i.e. line similarity measure and constriction measure) based on the localized structure analysis, and classified with a proposed transfer function mapping the degree of constriction to color and opacity. We show the application results of our method to the visualization of coronary artery stenoses. We present performance evaluations using twenty eight clinical datasets, demonstrating high accuracy and efficacy of our proposed method. The ability of our method to saliently visualize the constrictions within tubular structures and interactively adjust the visual appearance of the constrictions proves to deliver a substantial aid in radiologic practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Computer Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, South Korea. Electronic address: jhyun@cglab.snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jihye
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82 Gumi-ro, 173 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 463-707, South Korea. Electronic address: yeokoon@snubh.org.
authors.forename: Yeo Koon
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82 Gumi-ro, 173 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 463-707, South Korea. Electronic address: humandr@snubh.org.
authors.forename: Eun Ju
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: School of Computer Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, South Korea. Electronic address: yshin@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yeong-Gil
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: School of Computer Science and Engineering, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-Ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul 156-743, South Korea. Electronic address: leejeongjin@ssu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jeongjin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82 Gumi-ro, 173 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 463-707, South Korea. Electronic address: bhkim@snubh.org.
authors.forename: Bohyoung
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003116:Color; D003196:Computer Graphics; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Constriction; Coronary artery stenosis; Transfer function; Tubular structure; Volume rendering