Estimation of coronary blood flow by contrast propagation using X-ray cineangiographic images

The estimation of coronary blood flow by computational techniques from X-ray angiography image sequences is presented. This method is based on contrast propagation and involves artery segmentation and motion compensation. The segmentation of coronary arteries is based on the fuzzy connectedness theory and mathematical morphology. Points of correspondence between blood vessels are determined using two successive frames based on the minimization of deformation measurements between the open curves. The cost function considers the displacement vector of corresponding matched points and curvature information. Propagation of the contrast material bolus is represented in a parametric image of corrected distance as a function of time. From the parametric image, the instantaneous velocity can be calculated. The proposed methodology was assessed through simulations with synthetic images, images obtained from in-vitro assays and coronary X-ray angiographic images.