Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 11, 2025
Improved Registration of 3D CT Angiography with X-ray Fluoroscopy for Image Fusion During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation
Published on: June 3, 2018
Multimodal Multiparametric Three-dimensional Image Fusion in Coronary Artery Disease: Combining the Best of Two
Jochen von Spiczak1, Manoj Mannil1, Hanna Model1
1Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (J.v.S., M.M., H.M., H.A., R.M.) and Department of Cardiology, University Heart Center (F.R., R.M.), University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland; Siemens Healthineers, Forchheim, Germany (C.S.); and Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (J.v.S., S.K., R.M.).
Purpose:
To allow for comprehensive noninvasive diagnostics of coronary artery disease (CAD) by using three-dimensional (3D) image fusion of CT coronary angiography, CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT FFR), whole-heart dynamic 3D cardiac MRI perfusion, and 3D cardiac MRI late gadolinium enhancement (LGE).
Materials And Methods:
Seventeen patients (54 years ± 10 [standard deviation], one female) who underwent cardiac CT and cardiac MRI were included (combined subcohort of three prospective trials). Software facilitating multimodal 3D image fusion was developed. Postprocessing of CT data included segmentation of the coronary tree and heart contours, calculation of CT FFR values, and color coding of the coronary tree according to CT FFR. Postprocessing of cardiac MRI data included segmentation of the left ventricle (LV) in cardiac MRI perfusion and cardiac MRI LGE, co-registration of cardiac MRI to CT data, and projection of cardiac MRI perfusion and LGE values onto the high spatial resolution LV from CT.
Results:
Image quality was rated as good to excellent (scores: 2.5-2.6; 3 = excellent). CT coronary angiography revealed significant stenoses in seven of 17 cases (41%). CT FFR was possible in 16 of 17 cases (94%) and showed pathologic flow in seven of 17 cases (41%), six of which coincided with cases revealing significant stenoses at CT coronary angiography. Cardiac MRI perfusion identified eight of 17 patients (47%) with hypoperfusion (ischemic burden of 17% ± 5). Cardiac MRI LGE showed myocardial scar in three of 17 cases (18%, scar burden of 7% ± 4). Conventional two-dimensional readout of CT coronary angiography and cardiac MRI resulted in eight of 17 cases (47%) with uncertain findings. Most of these divergent findings could be solved when adding information from CT FFR and 3D image fusion (six of eight, 75%).
Conclusion:
Multimodal 3D cardiac image fusion is feasible and may help with comprehensive noninvasive CAD diagnostics.Supplemental material is available for this article.© RSNA, 2020.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System IV: CMRI
01:28Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System V: CT
01:30Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
01:19Imaging Studies VII: Vascular Imaging