A 3-D visualization method for non-enhanced fresh blood imaging on MR imaging employing A 3-D region growing technique

Recently, the disease caused by arteriosclerosis increases rapidly. Especially, the one that originates in hands and feet’s peripheral arterial is called arteriosclerosis obliterans. To diagnose the arteriosclerosis obliterans, magnetic resonance imaging equipment is applied as a useful visual screening on medical field. Especially, non-enhanced fresh blood imaging method is developed to avoiding adverse reactions from the contrast medium. In this research, we develop a 3-D visualization method for analyzing the internal structure such as blood vessels in the lower limbs area. In this technique, we propose a technique for extracting the blood vessels region by using a region growing method which obtained from the maximum intensity projection image. This technique was applied to four non-enhanced fresh bloods imaging of magnetic resonance images, and satisfactory 3D blood vessel region was extracted. Some experimental results are shown with discussion.