Mapping of arterial location for the design of automated identification and analysis algorithms in whole body MRA

Technological and medical advances have led to the realisation of full body imaging, with systemic diagnostic approaches becoming increasingly more prevalent. In the imaging of atherosclerotic disease, contrast -enhanced whole-body MRA has been demonstrated to enable detection of stenosis with a high sensitivity and specificity. Characterization of the systemic cardiovascular disease burden has significant prognostic value. A whole-body acquisition does however generate a large volume of three-dimensional data and as such there are expected to be significant advantages in developing automated techniques for the analysis of these images. Improved radiological workflow, reduced analysis time and increased analytical standardization are expected to be among the benefits offered by this approach. As part of a process of automated software development this study aimed to collect and validate arterial location ground truth. The data will be used to inform the development of semi-automated vascular identity tools, and allow the potential for the further development of semi-automated anatomically informed cardiovascular disease analysis and reporting.