Dynamic chest image analysis: model-based ventilation study with pyramid images

The aim of the study 'dynamic chest image analysis' is to develop computing analysis and visualization methods for showing focal and general abnormalities of lung ventilation and perfusion based on a sequence of digital chest fluoroscopy frames collected at different phases of the respiratory/cardiac cycles. A multiresolutional method for ventilation study with an explicit ventilation model based on pyramid images is proposed in this paper. The ventilation model is sophisticated enough in coverage of both inhalation and exhalation phases, but also remains simple enough in model realization. This model plays a critical role in extracting accurate, geographic ventilation parameters; while the pyramid helps in understanding ventilation at multiple resolutions and speeding up the convergence process in optimization. A number of patients have been studied with a research prototype produced in MATLAB. The prototype has proven to be useful aid in dynamic pulmonary ventilation study. However, for clinical use, further work must be done in the future.