Visualization and Analysis of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation combining 3D and 4D MR Image Sequences

In this paper methods for visualization and analysis of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are presented. Spatiotemporal 4D magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) image datasets and 3D MRA datasets with high spatial resolution were acquired for analyzing AVMs. One of the main tasks is the combination of the information of these 3D and 4D MRA image sequences. Initially, in the 3D MRA dataset the vessel system is segmented and a 3D surface model is generated. Then, in 4D MRA image sequences the temporal intensity curves are analyzed voxelwise and the time point of blood inflow is calculated. These parameters are saved as a 3D dataset representing the dynamic characteristic. After an affine 3D-3D registration of both MRA datasets the color-coded visualization of the temporal information in slice and surface model view with high local resolution becomes possible. The combined visualization of the individual and complicated anatomical structure and the haemodynamic in 3D supports the visual evaluation of the AVM.