Integrated 3D display of brain anatomy and intracranial vasculature in MR imaging

In many clinical situations neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons are keenly interested in images displaying both brain structures and intracranial vessels in an integrative manner. In this paper an approach to three-dimensional visualization of brain and vascular structures from magnetic resonance (MR) volume data is reported. It has been designed with the aim of providing a robust and reliable image processing tool for routine clinical applications. The method has been made possible by recent developments in MR image acquisition, especially MR angiography and rapid gradient-echo sequences (Turbo-fast low angle shot). On the basis of the ray-tracing principle, integration of brain and vessel anatomy into a single 3D image is achieved. Image data are acquired with flow-compensated gradient-echo pulse sequences. Even slow flow in venous structures may be demonstrated using a two-dimensional sequential-slice scanning method. Finally, if incorporated into an interactive image processing system, this technique may be used as a planning tool allowing a surgical "rehearsal" prior to actual operative exposure and resection of a lesion.