Scaffolding-based Segmentation of Coronary Vascular Structures
Dirk Bartz, Sarang Lakare · 2005
The coronary arteries are essential for the proper function of the human heart. However, they are generally difficult to segment in volume datasets separately from the other blood-filled cavities of the heart. The major reason for these difficulties is the lack of sufficient spatial resolution and partial volume effects. In this paper, we present a method to mark the coronary arteries by a virtual endoscopic traversal. Virtual endoscopy enables a significantly easier visual identification of the blood vessels in comparison to outside views or slice-by-slice examination methods. Furthermore, we use this marking as a scaffold for the actual segmentation of the coronary arteries.