鈴木 直樹¹, 岡村 哲夫¹, 伊藤 幹生⁴, 辻本 文雄², 多田 信平², 宝意 幸治³, 持尾 聡一郎³, 磯貝 行秀³

Naoki SUZUKI¹, Tetsuo OKAMURA¹, Mikio ITO⁴, Fumio TSUJIMOTO², Sinpei TADA², Kouji HOUI³, Souichirou MOCHIO³, Yukihide ISOGAI³

¹東京慈恵会医科大学医用エンジニアリング研究室, ²東京慈恵会医科大学放射線科, ³東京慈恵会医科大学第三内科, ⁴日本光学工業光機設計部

¹ME Laboratory, Tokyo Jikei University School of Medicine, ²Department of Radiology, Tokyo Jikei University School of Medicine, ³Department of Third Internal Medicine, Tokyo Jikei University School of Medicine, ⁴Nippon Kogaku K. K.

キーワード : 3D Image, Carotid artery, Ultrasonography, Plaque, Computer graphics

A noninvasive measurement technique producing three dimensional (3D) images of carotid artery bifurcation has developed. The method for this purpose are consisted of two parts. The first part is a high resolutional 2 dimensional (2D) echography that are supplying series of transverse images of aimed vessels from the subject. These 2D images are send to the second part those are composed of computer graphics system. Shapes of vessels are digitalized and translated to values in 3D coordinates with distance data among each images.
By this method we constructed 3D images of common carotid artery (CCA), internal carotid artery (ICA), external carotid artery (ECA) and skin surface. Constructed images are available to rotate or move in 3D axis according the purpose of observation. And it is also possible to dissect the vessel model in optional sectioning plane.
It was revealed that this method was very useful to observe the structure and location of plaques in the vessel as well as the outer shape of the bifurcation.