Segmentation, reconstruction, modeling and 3D visualization of the ventricles in echocardiographics images

This paper addresses the processing and reconstruction of the heart from echocardiographic images. This work is divided into two processing chains: reconstruction and visualization, each one of them is divided in several modules denominated as: 3D acquisition, 3D filtering, 3D segmentation, 3D reconstruction, 3D modeling and 3D visualization. The second processing chain uses an a priori model of the organ. It is adjusted to the data issued from the segmentation of the 4D (3D+t) volume captured from the patient. This is a new processing method because it is possible to capture a series of useful parameters (such as the ejection fraction, position, displacement and torsion of the ventricle) and at the same time it allows a 3D visualization of the virtual model. Two different models have been used in this work: a) a model of front propagation that allows segmentation of the internal wall of the ventricle with enough precision; b) a model with deformable superquadrics which obtains some useful geometric parameters to describe the shape and the dynamics of the ventricles. When we observe the differences between the virtual model and the resulting images of the 3D reconstruction of the heart, the physician has more information for the diagnosis, so that cardio-vascular illnesses will be detected with more precision