Towards Computer Assisted Cardiac Catheterization - How 3D Visualization Supports It

Abstract

Although cardiac catheterization procedures take place under x-ray guidance, the doctor is almost blind. Vessels are almost invisible until he injects a contrast agent and looking only at 2D x-ray images and reconstructing a 3D image in his head makes it error prone and tedious. Only experienced doctors are able to accomplish this procedure with the expected results. This paper describes our preliminary work and work in progress to support doctors during cardiac catheterizations using 3D visualization.