Recent advances in cardiac imaging: emerging use of three-dimensional visualization for analyzing complex cardiovascular anatomy.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Technical progress in noninvasive medical imaging continues to enhance diagnosis and intervention, with three-dimensional (3D) imaging emerging as a significant advancement over traditional methods. While 3D visualization is widely used to evaluate a living heart, precise measurement from such images remains challenging. This review describes a new technique named isosurface geometric measurement on volume-rendered images (IMVR), which facilitates accurate 3D measurement of complex cardiovascular anatomy.

Recent findings: Direct volume rendering provides clear visualization and tissue identification, but the lack of exact spatial boundaries inherently makes measurement of any anatomical feature difficult. However, by superimposing a surface-rendered polygonal mesh (representing isosurface geometry) onto a variably transparent volume image of the heart, IMVR enables significantly easier and more accurate 3D measurement. This technique demonstrates versatility across various cardiovascular, anatomical, and clinical applications, including preinterventional assessment and planning for structural heart diseases, notably expanding 3D imaging's utility toward precision medicine and personalized treatment.

Summary: This review article summarizes recent advances in cardiac imaging, highlighting an efficient IMVR technique, which combines volume-rendered images with superimposed surface-rendered image to facilitate accurate 3D measurements of cardiac anatomical features.