title: In Vivo CT Direct Volume Rendering: A Three-Dimensional Anatomical Description of the Heart.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since cardiac anatomy continues to play an important role in the practice of medicine and in the development of medical devices, the study of the heart in three dimensions is particularly useful to understand its real structure, function and proper location in the body.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study demonstrates a fine use of direct volume rendering, processing the data set images obtained by Computed Tomography (CT) of the heart of 5 subjects with age range between 18 and 42 years (2 male, 3 female), with no history of any overt cardiac disease. The cardiac structure in CT images was first extracted from the thorax by marking manually the regions of interest on the computer, and then it was stacked to create new volumetric data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of a specific algorithm allowed us to observe with a good perception of depth the heart and the skeleton of the thorax at the same time. Besides, in all examined subjects, it was possible to depict its structure and its position within the body and to study the integrity of papillary muscles, the fibrous tissue of cardiac valve and chordae tendineae and the course of coronary arteries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrated that one of the greatest advantages of algorithmic modifications of direct volume rendering parameters is that this method provides much necessary information in a single radiologic study. It implies a better accuracy in the study of the heart, being complementary to other diagnostic methods and facilitating the therapeutic plans.
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: Giuseppina
authors: G
authors: Cutroneo
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Bruschetta
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Trimarchi
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Cacciola
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Cinquegrani
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Duca
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: Giuseppina
authors: G
authors: Rizzo
authors: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Ospedale Vita e Salute, San Raffaele, Milano, Italy.
authors: Emanuela
authors: E
authors: Alati
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Gaeta
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy; IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", Messina, Italy.
authors: Demetrio
authors: D
authors: Milardi
keywords: Anatomy; Heart; Imaging, Three-Dimensional