Densitometry and parametric imaging with quality control

X-ray contrast image series of the myocardium were studied using the approaches of densitometry and parametric imaging accompanied by quality control. Contrast angiograms were digitized at six predefined phases of the heart cycle. For densitometry, regions of interest (ROIs) were defined semi-automatically for all phases. The resulting six densograms were summed up and weighted according to their quality determined by a measure. Previously validated parameters such as rise time were calculated. The enddiastolic images were only used for the calculation of color-coded parametric images accompanied by pixel-densogram-quality information. An observer gives a score for the perfusion of roughly described regions of the myocardium. Densitometric parameters and given scores show an acceptable correlation (R=0.56-0.79). The interactive tool of parametric imaging with quality control complements the more precise densitometry