Shape Analysis for Automatic and Objective Visualization of Pathological Cardiovascular Remodeling From Cine Cardiac MRI

Normal cardiovascular tissue structure and therefore shape is governed by an equilibrium existing between stimulator and inhibitor signals that regulate growth and remodeling [1]. Characterization of left ventricular (LV) remodeling following an insult or major adverse cardiac event that disturbs this balance (eg: transmural myocardial infarction) can provide crucial information to guide non-transplant therapeutic options for improving cardiac function or surgical restoration of ventricular shape. In this study, analysis of endocardial morphology and function in remodeled LV territories is presented in the context of front-line quantitative 4D (3D + time) assessment of an antero-apical LV aneurysm in a 42 year old male patient from cine cardiac MRI data. In this regard, two promising shape analysis techniques are discussed: a) Hausdorff distance; and b) weighted spherical harmonics (SPHARM).