Strain analysis and visualization: left ventricle of a heart

Clinical utility of computational models is crucial in the applications of medical data visualization. Previously we have developed a new class of volumetric models whose parameters are functions in conjunction with physically based deformable modeling framework, and have applied the technique to estimate the left ventricular (LV) wall motion. We have successfully showed that the model parameter functions characterize the LV motion of normal and abnormal states and that no further non-trivial post-processing is required for anatomically meaningful interpretation. In an e!ort to evaluate the LV model, this paper presents a method and results from a strain analysis based on the nodal displacements of the deformable LV model. Furthermore, in order to visualize the local quantities on the volumetric model for an e!ective analysis, we also developed a methodology to assist in assessing the cardiac function utilizing principal strains, Von-Mises' yield criteria, and a smoothing "lter. Each strain tensor component was in the range of values observed in other reported studies. The application of a smoothing "lter on the model improved in visualizing the overall trend of each strain variation. With our platform for a comprehensive strain analysis, we have augmented a clinical utility to the deformable models with parameter functions. ( 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.