3-D computer visualization of arteries and blood flow-in vitro and in vivo

An extension to previously described work on the representation of arterial structures using three-dimensional solid modeling is presented. Data acquired using a special-purpose catheter-mounted ultrasound probe are used to reconstruct 3-D computer models of arterial sections in vitro and in vivo. The images are reconstructed in full voxel space, which allows powerful software manipulation. Preliminary work on tissue differentiation using arterial models and color coding of the image is included. In addition to 3-D arterial visualization, early work on 3-D flow field representation is presented. It is concluded that the combining 3-D visualization of an artery with the presentation of the associated 3-D flow field will result in significant clinical benefit in the assessment of arterial disease