Intravascular ultrasound imaging and three-dimensional modeling of arteries.

In this article, we describe the reconstruction of arterial structures using solid modeling. The alternative approaches to three-dimensional modeling are discussed and the voxel space system we use for intra-arterial imaging, based on ultrasonic data, is described. The complete three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system comprising a purpose-built, catheter-mounted ultrasound probe, ultrasonic transceiver, and computer system is presented. This system has been used to recreate three-dimensional computer models of arterial sections in vitro and in vivo. Examples to illustrate the power and flexibility of voxel space modeling in terms of postprocessing and software manipulation are given. Preliminary work on tissue differentiation, using arterial models and color coding of the image, and three-dimensional presentation of flow data is included.