Visualization & Exploration of Blood Flow in Aneurysms

Due to the current advances in the field of medical imaging and an increase of MR and CT brain scans as part of diagnostic procedures, the number of cerebral aneurysm findings is rising. These dilated parts of cerebral arteries exhibit a high risk of rupture, which can lead to internal bleedings with fatal consequences for the patient (mortality rate: up to 60%). To reduce the risk for the patient most of the interventions are performed minimal invasive by filling the aneurysm with small metal coils (Coiling) and stabilizing them with a tubular metal mesh (Stent) if necessary. Since the intervention itself involves the risk of causing an internal bleeding, a detailed risk estimation and a deeper insight into the blood flow dynamics, that influence the development of cerebral aneurysms, is crucial. In current research computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation is the common approach to gain a better understanding for the dynamic characteristics of the internal blood flow.

The result of the CFD simulation is a multidimensional and often time dependent dataset. Our aim is to develop an application-specific pipeline to make this complex data accessible to medical researchers. Besides different approaches to visualize the flow characteristics this pipeline also needs to contain the analysis of morphological features and their relation to the flow characteristics. One application of this pipeline is the creation of expressive comparison visualizations in order to gain insight into the development of an aneurysm over time or into the affect a change in the incoming blood-flow has onto the whole dynamic system. Due to the interdisciplinary character of this research area we are working together with Institute of Neuroradiology (medical experts), the Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Thermodynamics (CFD simulation), the Image Processing Workgroup (segmentation), the Institute of Electronics, Signal Processing and Communication Technology (evaluation of the CFD simulation). In October 2008 this cooperation formed the base for the Mobestan project supported by the state of Saxony-Anhalt.

A short summarization of our current field of research:

  • Semi-/automatic extraction and visualization of morphological information and flow features
  • Guided exploration and overview visualization of complex flow datasets
  • Focus & Context visualization of cerebral vasculature
  • Combined (internal flow data & surface morphology) and comparing (change over time, after stent application, etc.) visualizations

Publications

2016
Evaluation of Time-Dependent Wall Shear Stress Visualizations for Cerebral Aneurysms

Sylvia Glaßer, Jan Hirsch, Philipp Berg, Patrick Saalfeld, Oliver Beuing, Gabor Janiga, Bernhard Preim

Evaluation of Time-Dependent Wall Shear Stress Visualizations for Cerebral Aneurysms Inproceedings

Bildverarbeitung für die Medizin (BVM), pp. 236–241, 2016.

BibTeX | Links:

Cluster Analysis of Vortical Flow in Simulations of Cerebral Aneurysm Hemodynamics

Steffen Oeltze-Jafra, Juan R Cebral, Gábor Janiga, Bernhard Preim

Cluster Analysis of Vortical Flow in Simulations of Cerebral Aneurysm Hemodynamics Journal Article

IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (TVCG), 22 (1) (1), pp. 757–766, 2016.

BibTeX | Links:

2015
Occlusion-free Blood Flow Animation with Wall Thickness Visualization

Kai Lawonn, Sylvia Glaßer, Anna Vilanova, Bernhard Preim, Tobias Isenberg

Occlusion-free Blood Flow Animation with Wall Thickness Visualization Journal Article

IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (TVCG), 22 (1) (1), pp. 728–737, 2015.

BibTeX | Links:

Sketching 2D Vessels and Vascular Diseases with Integrated Blood Flow

Patrick Saalfeld, Alexandra Baer, Uta Preim, Bernhard Preim, Kai Lawonn

Sketching 2D Vessels and Vascular Diseases with Integrated Blood Flow Inproceedings

Proc. of the 10th International Conference on Computer Graphics Theory and Applications (GRAPP), pp. 379–390, Berlin, 2015.

BibTeX | Links:

2014
Blood Flow Clustering and Applications in Virtual Stenting of Intracranial Aneurysms

Steffen Oeltze, Dirk Joachim Lehmann, Alexander Kuhn, Gabor Janiga, Holger Theisel, Bernhard Preim

Blood Flow Clustering and Applications in Virtual Stenting of Intracranial Aneurysms Journal Article

IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (TVCG), 20(5) , pp. 686–701, 2014.

BibTeX | Links:

Comparative Blood Flow Visualization for Cerebral Aneurysm Treatment Assessment

Roy van Pelt, Rocco Gasteiger, Kai Lawonn, Monique Meuschke, Bernhard Preim

Comparative Blood Flow Visualization for Cerebral Aneurysm Treatment Assessment Journal Article

Computer Graphics Forum (Eurographics Conference on Visualization (EuroVis) 2014), 33(3) (3), pp. 131–140, 2014.

BibTeX | Links:

2013
Automatic Generation of Anatomic Characteristics from Cerebral Aneurysm Surface Models

Mathias Neugebauer, Kai Lawonn, Oliver Beuing, Bernhard Preim

Automatic Generation of Anatomic Characteristics from Cerebral Aneurysm Surface Models Journal Article

International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery, 8(2) , pp. 279–289, 2013.

BibTeX | Links:

AmniVis - A System for Qualitative Exploration of Near-Wall Hemodynamics in Cerebral Aneurysms

Mathias Neugebauer, Kai Lawonn, Oliver Beuing, Philipp Berg, Gabor Janiga, Bernhard Preim

AmniVis - A System for Qualitative Exploration of Near-Wall Hemodynamics in Cerebral Aneurysms Journal Article

Computer Graphics Forum, 32(3) , pp. 251–260, 2013.

BibTeX | Links:

Recommendations for accurate numerical blood flow simulations of stented intracranial aneurysms

Gabor Janiga, Philipp Berg, Oliver Beuing, Mathias Neugebauer, Rocco Gasteiger, Bernhard Preim, Georg Rose, Martin Skalej, Dominque Thevenin

Recommendations for accurate numerical blood flow simulations of stented intracranial aneurysms Journal Article

Biomedical Engineering, 58 (3) , pp. 303–-314, 2013.

BibTeX | Links:

2012
Automatic Detection and Visualization of Qualitative Hemodynamic Characteristics in Cerebral Aneurysms

Rocco Gasteiger, Dirk Joachim Lehmann, Roy van Pelt, Gabor Janiga, Oliver Beuing, Anna Vilanova, Holger Theisel, Bernhard Preim

Automatic Detection and Visualization of Qualitative Hemodynamic Characteristics in Cerebral Aneurysms Journal Article

IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (TVCG), 18(12) (12), pp. 2178–2187, 2012.

BibTeX | Links:

Surface-Based Seeding for Blood Flow Exploration

Benjamin Köhler, Mathias Neugebauer, Rocco Gasteiger, Gábor Janiga, Oliver Speck, Bernhard Preim

Surface-Based Seeding for Blood Flow Exploration Inproceedings

Bildverarbeitung für die Medizin, pp. 81–86, Berlin, 2012.

BibTeX | Links:

Evaluation of Streamline Clustering Techniques for Blood Flow Data

Steffen Oeltze, Dirk Joachim Lehmann, Holger Theisel, Bernhard Preim

Evaluation of Streamline Clustering Techniques for Blood Flow Data Technical Report

Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg (FIN-06-2012), 2012.

BibTeX | Links:

2011
Anatomy-Guided Multi-Level Exploration of Blood Flow in Cerebral Aneurysms

Mathias Neugebauer, Gabor Janiga, Oliver Beuing, Martin Skalej, Bernhard Preim

Anatomy-Guided Multi-Level Exploration of Blood Flow in Cerebral Aneurysms Journal Article

Computer Graphics Forum (EuroVis), 30(3) , pp. 1041–1050, 2011.

BibTeX | Links:

The FLOWLENS: A Focus-and-Context Visualization Approach for Exploration of Blood Flow in Cerebral Aneurysms

Rocco Gasteiger, Mathias Neugebauer, Oliver Beuing, Bernhard Preim

The FLOWLENS: A Focus-and-Context Visualization Approach for Exploration of Blood Flow in Cerebral Aneurysms Journal Article

IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (TVCG), 17 (12), pp. 2183-2192, 2011.

BibTeX | Links:

Generation of a Smooth Ostium Surface for Aneurysm Surface Models

Mathias Neugebauer, Bernhard Preim

Generation of a Smooth Ostium Surface for Aneurysm Surface Models Inproceedings

Bildverarbeitung für die Medizin (BVM), pp. 399–403, Lübeck, 2011.

BibTeX | Links:

Vergleich zwischen 7 Tesla 4D PC-MRI Flussmessung und CFD-Simulation

Rocco Gasteiger, Gabor Janiga, Daniel Stucht, Anja Hennemuth, Ola Friman, Oliver Speck, Michael Markl, Bernhard Preim

Vergleich zwischen 7 Tesla 4D PC-MRI Flussmessung und CFD-Simulation Inproceedings

Bildverarbeitung für die Medizin (BVM), pp. 304–308, Lübeck, 2011.

BibTeX | Links:

Bildbasierte Korrektur von Phasensprüngen in 4D PC-MRI Flussdaten

Daniel Stucht, Rocco Gasteiger, Steffen Serowy, Michael Markl, Bernhard Preim, Oliver Speck

Bildbasierte Korrektur von Phasensprüngen in 4D PC-MRI Flussdaten Inproceedings

Bildverarbeitung für die Medizin (BVM), pp. 424–428, Lübeck, 2011.

BibTeX | Links:

2010
Geometric Reconstruction of the Ostium of Cerebral Aneurysms

Mathias Neugebauer, Volker Diehl, Martin Skalej, Bernhard Preim

Geometric Reconstruction of the Ostium of Cerebral Aneurysms Inproceedings

Koch, Reinhard; Kolb, Andreas; Rezk-Salama, Christopf (Ed.): VMV 2010 - Vision, Modeling, Visualization, pp. 307–314, Siegen, 2010.

BibTeX | Links:

Entwurf einer angepassten Visualisierung von zerebralen Aneurysmen mit innenliegenden Blutflussinformationen

Rocco Gasteiger, Mathias Neugebauer, Volker Diehl, Oliver Beuing, Bernhard Preim

Entwurf einer angepassten Visualisierung von zerebralen Aneurysmen mit innenliegenden Blutflussinformationen Inproceedings

Proc. of CURAC, pp. 61–66, Düsseldorf, 2010.

BibTeX | Links:

Modellbildung und Simulation - Computer-Aided Modelling of Blood Flow for the Treatment of Cerebral Aneurysms

Mathias Neugebauer, Gabor Janiga, Oliver Beuing, Martin Skalej, Bernhard Preim

Modellbildung und Simulation - Computer-Aided Modelling of Blood Flow for the Treatment of Cerebral Aneurysms Journal Article

Biomed Tech, 55 (Suppl. 1), pp. 37–41, 2010.

BibTeX | Links:

Adapted Surface Visualization of Cerebral Aneurysms with Embedded Blood Flow Information

Rocco Gasteiger, Mathias Neugebauer, Christoph Kubisch, Bernhard Preim

Adapted Surface Visualization of Cerebral Aneurysms with Embedded Blood Flow Information Inproceedings

Eurographics Workshop on Visual Computing for Biology and Medicine (EG VCBM), pp. 25-32, 2010.

BibTeX | Links:

2009
Map Displays for the Analysis of Scalar Data on Cerebral Aneurysm Surfaces

Mathias Neugebauer, Rocco Gasteiger, Oliver Beuing, Volker Diehl, Martin Skalej, Bernhard Preim

Map Displays for the Analysis of Scalar Data on Cerebral Aneurysm Surfaces Inproceedings

Computer Graphics Forum (EuroVis), pp. 895–902, Berlin, 2009.

BibTeX | Links:

Automatic generation of context visualizations for cerebral aneurysms from MRA datasets

Mathias Neugebauer, Rocco Gasteiger, Volker Diehl, Oliver Beuing, Bernhard Preim

Automatic generation of context visualizations for cerebral aneurysms from MRA datasets Journal Article

International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (CARS), 4 (Supplement 1) , pp. 112–113, 2009.

BibTeX | Links:

2008
Generierung qualitativ hochwertiger Modelle für die Simulation von Blutfluss in zerebralen Aneurysmen

Matthias Neugebauer, Gabor Janiga, S Zachow, Martin Skalej, Bernhard Preim

Generierung qualitativ hochwertiger Modelle für die Simulation von Blutfluss in zerebralen Aneurysmen Inproceedings

Proc. Simulation and Visualization, pp. 221–236, 2008.

BibTeX | Links:

Images

  • A specialized widget for interactive exploration of flow in cerebral aneurysms
  • This circular map gives an overview of scalar surface data (wall shear stress). The map provides interactive mechanisms for exploration.
  • Comparision visualization of the change of the vessel diameter after a stent is applied.
  • Deformed stent below saccular aneurysm (VISC stenting challenge 2009)
  • Reconstructed mesh of an silicon aneurysm phantom from CT scans.
  • Illustrative streamline rendering for improved spatial perception
  • VISC dataset with colored streamlines to differentiate in/outflow
  • Another example for visual enhancing in/outflow
  • Improved triangle quality (in terms of aspect ratio) after an advancing front remeshing (NETGEN).
  • Visualization of internal bloodflow utilizing a LIC texture (line integral convolution) and illumated streamlines (created with AMIRA)
  • Separation of the aneurysm body from the parent vessels. The wall shear stress is color coded on the surface.
  • Illustrative flow rendering by means of streamline clustering