Simulation-based medical planning for cardiovascular disease: visualization system foundations.
A technique for visualizing computational models along with volumetric imaging data in a real-time, interactive, simulation-based medical planning system for cardiovascular disease treatment is described. This technique involves an ordered rendering of faceted geometry and volumetric image data. We have developed a software system based on this image-fusion technique that is capable of capturing and representing the inherent anatomic constraints of an individual patient. Such constraints must be represented accurately in a medical planning system to ensure the validity of a potential procedure. A hypothetical clinical scenario is described for which vascular treatment plans were constructed pre-operatively without reference to the physical anatomic structure. These models were later embedded into patient-specific diagnostic MRA scans to establish the anatomic context for physiologic observations.