Wahle A, Prause GPM, von Birgelen C, Erbel R, Sonka M:


Fusion of Angiography and Intravascular Ultrasound In-Vivo: Establishing the Absolute 3-D Frame Orientation.

Transactions on Biomedical Engineering - Biomedical Data Fusion, IEEE Press

Volume 46, Number 10, Page 1176-1180, October 1999

Special topic section paper about the absolute orientation problem, presenting first quantitative in-vivo results (in-vitro) (Paper) (Images) (Links)

Abstract: Data fusion of biplane angiography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) facilitates geometrically correct reconstruction of coronary vessels. The locations of IVUS frames along the catheter pullback trajectory can be identified, however the IVUS image orientations remain ambiguous. An automated approach to determination of correct IVUS image orientation in 3-D space is reported. Analytical calculation of the catheter twist is followed by statistical optimization determining the absolute IVUS image orientation. The fusion method was applied to data acquired in patients undergoing routine coronary intervention, demonstrating the feasibility and good performance of our approach.

A novel method for determination of the absolute orientation of the IVUS pullback image data was developed and incorporated in our data fusion approach for geometrically correct reconstruction of coronary vessels. The first employment of this complex but nevertheless highly automated data fusion approach in human patients in-vivo was reported. The developed system is able to deliver a high quality reconstruction of the IVUS data, and allows geometrically correct analyses of the vessel, which substantially improves the clinical applicability of both involved modalities.