Automated Analysis of 3D Stress Echocardiography

1. Automated Analysis of 3D Stress Echocardiography

2. 3D Stress Echocardiography I’m going to start with a very sad and harsh fact: 30% of the people world-wide die of cardiovascular disease. But I also have good news: we are working on diagnosis. A method which is used world wide is stress echocardiography (stress echo for short). We are interested left ventricle of your heart, which is the part that pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of your body. By using ultrasound, we can make 3D images of the beating heart, like this, without cutting you open. So the question now is: how can we take a look at your heart function? I’m going to start with a very sad and harsh fact: 30% of the people world-wide die of cardiovascular disease. But I also have good news: we are working on diagnosis. A method which is used world wide is stress echocardiography (stress echo for short). We are interested left ventricle of your heart, which is the part that pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of your body. By using ultrasound, we can make 3D images of the beating heart, like this, without cutting you open. So the question now is: how can we take a look at your heart function?

3. 3D Stress Echocardiography

4. 3D Stress Echocardiography Going back to stress echo: we first make an image of your left ventricle in rest stage, and in stress, that is, when the heart is beating very fast. By comparing the motion in rest and stress, we can see if the left ventricle is functioning normally. This is usually done by eyeballing at the images. Going back to stress echo: we first make an image of your left ventricle in rest stage, and in stress, that is, when the heart is beating very fast. By comparing the motion in rest and stress, we can see if the left ventricle is functioning normally. This is usually done by eyeballing at the images.

5. 3D Stress Echocardiography which inevitably leads to differences in interpreting these hazy images. This is a major problem in stress echo. So we asked ourselves, how can we objectively measure the heart function? And our answer is: automated analysis.which inevitably leads to differences in interpreting these hazy images. This is a major problem in stress echo. So we asked ourselves, how can we objectively measure the heart function? And our answer is: automated analysis.

6. Automated Analysis So what is this automated analysis? We want to develop a system that takes objective measurements of heart function. We want to make system with images going in, and a diagnosis coming out. So what is so special about our system? We want to make a smart system, by learning how experts analyze real images and put this knowledge in the system. This is what we call a statistical model.So what is this automated analysis? We want to develop a system that takes objective measurements of heart function. We want to make system with images going in, and a diagnosis coming out. So what is so special about our system? We want to make a smart system, by learning how experts analyze real images and put this knowledge in the system. This is what we call a statistical model.

7. Statistical Models Basically, we gather a database of images which you are interested in. So here in this example, we are interested in finding faces in photographs. Let an expert analyze them all, and from this make a model. With this model, we can generate life-like examples of faces, like they can appear in photographs, with the corresponding expert analysis. So what do we do with this model? Well, if you have a new photo with a face, we can use the model to automatically analyze it. Basically, we gather a database of images which you are interested in. So here in this example, we are interested in finding faces in photographs. Let an expert analyze them all, and from this make a model. With this model, we can generate life-like examples of faces, like they can appear in photographs, with the corresponding expert analysis. So what do we do with this model? Well, if you have a new photo with a face, we can use the model to automatically analyze it.

8. Challenge: Faces ? 3D Left Ventricle Our challenge here is to apply this concept to 3D ultrasound images of the left ventricle. We are going to do this in three stages.Our challenge here is to apply this concept to 3D ultrasound images of the left ventricle. We are going to do this in three stages.

9. Automated Analysis We do this in three stages, like a three-tier rocket, if you will. In stage one, we want to find approximately the location and orientation of the left ventricle in these images. We use a model of important cross-sections.We do this in three stages, like a three-tier rocket, if you will. In stage one, we want to find approximately the location and orientation of the left ventricle in these images. We use a model of important cross-sections.

10. Automated Analysis Once we have this approximate location, we can proceed to stage 2: to look more into detail at the borders of the left ventricle. We use 3D models for that. Once we have this approximate location, we can proceed to stage 2: to look more into detail at the borders of the left ventricle. We use 3D models for that.

11. Automated Analysis Once we have these borders, we can see if the motion is normal or abnormal. We use a special local model to be able to distinguish subtle motion patterns. Once we have these borders, we can see if the motion is normal or abnormal. We use a special local model to be able to distinguish subtle motion patterns.

12. Application Most importantly, we want this research to the improve 3D stress echo in clinical practice. To do this, we have developed our own software, for a better visualization of 3D rest and stress images side-by-side. In our own medical center, we have shown that interobserver agreement can be very much improved. It has also been shipped to different European centers and has been well received. We have collaborated with a medical company to validate our methods, with good success rate, and we are looking into possibilities of commercialization. The research does not stop here. As a side track, we have also been working on spin-offs for our software. In particular, the analysis of echo and MRI data, to look at possibilities of synergy.Most importantly, we want this research to the improve 3D stress echo in clinical practice. To do this, we have developed our own software, for a better visualization of 3D rest and stress images side-by-side. In our own medical center, we have shown that interobserver agreement can be very much improved. It has also been shipped to different European centers and has been well received. We have collaborated with a medical company to validate our methods, with good success rate, and we are looking into possibilities of commercialization. The research does not stop here. As a side track, we have also been working on spin-offs for our software. In particular, the analysis of echo and MRI data, to look at possibilities of synergy.

13. Application We want this research to the improvement of 3D stress echo in clinical practice. To do this, we have developed our own software, for a better visualization of 3D rest and stress images side-by-side. In our own medical center, we have shown that interobserver agreement can be very much improved. It has also been shipped to different European centers and has been well received. We have collaborated with a medical company to validate our methods, with good success rate, and we are looking into possibilities of commercialization. The research does not stop here. As a side track, we have also been working on spin-offs for our software. In particular, the analysis of echo and MRI data, to look at possibilities of synergy.We want this research to the improvement of 3D stress echo in clinical practice. To do this, we have developed our own software, for a better visualization of 3D rest and stress images side-by-side. In our own medical center, we have shown that interobserver agreement can be very much improved. It has also been shipped to different European centers and has been well received. We have collaborated with a medical company to validate our methods, with good success rate, and we are looking into possibilities of commercialization. The research does not stop here. As a side track, we have also been working on spin-offs for our software. In particular, the analysis of echo and MRI data, to look at possibilities of synergy.

14. Application We want this research to the improvement of 3D stress echo in clinical practice. To do this, we have developed our own software, for a better visualization of 3D rest and stress images side-by-side. In our own medical center, we have shown that interobserver agreement can be very much improved. It has also been shipped to different European centers and has been well received. We have collaborated with a medical company to validate our methods, with good success rate, and we are looking into possibilities of commercialization. The research does not stop here. As a side track, we have also been working on spin-offs for our software. In particular, the analysis of echo and MRI data, to look at possibilities of synergy.We want this research to the improvement of 3D stress echo in clinical practice. To do this, we have developed our own software, for a better visualization of 3D rest and stress images side-by-side. In our own medical center, we have shown that interobserver agreement can be very much improved. It has also been shipped to different European centers and has been well received. We have collaborated with a medical company to validate our methods, with good success rate, and we are looking into possibilities of commercialization. The research does not stop here. As a side track, we have also been working on spin-offs for our software. In particular, the analysis of echo and MRI data, to look at possibilities of synergy.

15. Conclusion So in conclusion, OUR METHODS PROVIDE accurate and objective measurements in 3D stress echo, for a better diagnosis of your heart function.So in conclusion, OUR METHODS PROVIDE accurate and objective measurements in 3D stress echo, for a better diagnosis of your heart function.

16. Acknowledgments Thank you all for your attention.Thank you all for your attention.

17. Echo Guidance for Interventional Cardiology Thank you all for your attention.Thank you all for your attention.