COMPUTER MODELING OF THE ABDOMINAL-AORTA USING MAGNETIC-RESONANCE IMAGES

An approach is described for creating a 3-D computer model of the abdo minal aorta from just two projective images. The aorta is modeled by c onical segments connecting circular cross sections. Accuracy of this t echnique is within 1 mm. From the 3-D computer model, quantitative mea surements of vessel diameter, length, and position are available for a ny subset of the arterial structure. Visualization is enhanced by disp laying the computer model rather than a direct set of images obtained from different perspectives. Ambiguities from overlapping branches can be resolved by rotating the model or by eliminating the interfering s tructures. This approach has been applied in both phantom studies, in which quantitative comparisons were made, and in vivo studies, in whic h qualitative evaluations were made.