A semi-automated quantification of pulmonary artery dimensions in computed tomography angiography images.

Quantifying vascular dimensions may provide a non-invasive means of diagnosing a variety of vascular diseases, including pulmonary hypertension, a progressive, potentially fatal disease that results in the remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature. Currently the gold standard for diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension is through right heart catheterization, an invasive and costly procedure. Since pulmonary hypertension is associated with the remodeling of the pulmonary arteries, quantifying vascular geometry as depicted in tomographic imaging may provide a non-invasive diagnostic technique. In this work we explore a semi-automated method for quantifying pulmonary vascular geometry with the intention of using such measurements in the future for diagnosing pulmonary hypertension.