An application of multimodal image registration and fusion in a 3D tumor simulation model

In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) image registration scheme along with fusion tools is developed and incorporated within a model simulating tumor growth and response to radiotherapy. This biosimulation model attempts to predict and visualize in three dimensions the in vivo tumor behavior. The necessary information for the initialization and the adjustment of the model can be provided from different medical examinations. The present study focuses on the development and evaluation of a technique that enables input information provided from different medical imaging modalities to be efficiently exploited by tumor growth simulation algorithms through the registration and fusion of computed tomography (CT) or positron emission tomography (PET) to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data.