Augmented digitally reconstructed radiographs of aortic dissection CTA images

To deal with aortic dissections, physicians require preoperative 3D Computed Tomography Angiography - or CTA - images, then intraoperative 2D fluoroscopic X-ray angiographic images. In one hand, only the injected contrast agent/X-rays combination allows physicians to detect aorta´s contour, but it remains very difficult to obtain the adequate acquisition parameters. In another hand, the Digitally Reconstructed Radiograph method allows us to obtain a simulated rendering of a CTA with a fluoroscopic shading, but due to aorta´s tissue, the aorta is not visible. In a recent study, we have proposed an interactive segmentation of aortic dissection CTA images which produces a tubular envelope wrapping aorta´s wall. In this study, by computing and simply overlapping both Digitally Reconstructed Radiographs of the initial CTA image and of its corresponding tubular envelope image, we easily obtain a 2D view - called Augmented Digitally Reconstructed Radiograph - that makes aorta visible. Thus, such a preoperative work gives physicians a synthesis view the most similar possible to the one acquired during intervention, but with additional features (aorta´s contour, aortic dissection features ...). This work will be used to automatically propose the best acquisition parameters, for aortic prostheses implantation.