Axel Boese

Effects of grain shape on packing and dilatancy of sheared granular materials

A granular material exposed to shear shows a variety of unique phenomena: Reynolds dilatancy, positional order and orientational order effects may compete in the shear zone. We study granular packing consisting of macroscopic prolate, oblate and spherical grains and compare their behaviour. X-ray tomography is used to determine the particle positions and orientations in a cylindrical split bottom shear cell. Packing densities and the arrangements of individual particles in the shear zone are evaluated. For anisometric particles, we observe the competition of two opposite effects. On the one hand, the sheared granules are dilated, on the other hand the particles reorient and align with respect to the streamlines. Even though aligned cylinders in principle may achieve higher packing densities, this alignment compensates for the effect of dilatancy only partially. The complex rearrangements lead to a depression of the surface above the well oriented region while neighbouring parts still show the effect of dilation in the form of heaps. For grains with isotropic shapes, the surface remains rather flat. Perfect monodisperse spheres crystallize in the shear zone, whereby positional order partially overcompensates dilatancy effects. However, even slight deviations from the ideal monodisperse sphere shape inhibit crystallization.

Experimental investigation of intravascular OCT for imaging of intracranial aneurysms.

PurposeRupture risk assessment of an intracranial aneurysm (IA) is an important factor for indication of therapy. Until today, there is no suitable objective prediction method. Conventional imaging modalities cannot assess the IA’s vessel wall. We investigated the ability of intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a new tool for the characterization and evaluation of IAs.Materials and methodsAn experimental setup for acquisition of geometrical aneurysm parameters was developed. Object of basic investigation was a silicone phantom with six IAs from patient data. For structural information, three circle of Willis were dissected and imaged postmortem. All image data were postprocessed by medical imaging software.ResultsGeometrical image data of a phantom with six different IAs were acquired. The geometrical image data showed a signal loss, e.g., in aneurysms with a high bottleneck ratio. Imaging data of vessel specimens were evaluated with respect to structural information that is valuable for the characterization of IAs. Those included thin structures (intimal flaps), changes of the vessel wall morphology (intimal thickening, layers), adjacent vessels, small vessel outlets, arterial branches and histological information.ConclusionIntravascular OCT provides new possibilities for diagnosis and rupture assessment of IAs. However, currently used imaging system parameters have to be adapted and new catheter techniques have to be developed for a complete assessment of the morphology of IAs.

A Novel Technique for the Measurement of CBF and CBV with Robot-Arm-Mounted Flat Panel CT in a Large-Animal Model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Endovascular therapy is an emerging treatment option in patients with acute ischemic stroke and especially in cases presenting late after symptom onset. Information about remaining viable tissue as measured with perfusion imaging is crucial for proper patient selection. The aim of this study was to investigate whether perfusion imaging with C-arm CT in the angiography suite is feasible and provides measurements comparable with ones made by CTP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MCA was occluded surgically in 6 sheep. Perfusion studies were performed before surgery, immediately after, and at 3 hours after MCA occlusion by using a robotic flat panel detector C-arm angiographic system. For comparison, conventional CTP was performed at the same time points. Two different protocols with the C-arm CT were tested. Images were analyzed by 2 readers with regard to the presence and size of perfusion abnormalities. RESULTS: With C-arm CT, perfusion abnormalities were detected with a high sensitivity and specificity when vessel occlusion was confirmed by criterion standard DSA. No difference was found between lesions sizes measured with the 2 C-arm CT protocols and CTP. Growth of the CBV lesions with time was captured with C-arm CT and CTP. CONCLUSIONS: In this small study, it was feasible to qualitatively measure CBV and CBF by using a flat panel detector angiographic system.

Technology Roadmap for Integration of Resonant Markers in MRI Compatible Instruments

Open MR scanners with an improved patient access are well-suited for minimal-invasive interventions. Considering that instruments like catheters appear hypointense in the MR image due to their signal-loss artefact, suitable visualization techniques like passive resonant circuits tuned to the Larmor frequency are required for generating a hyperintense change of the signal intensity. Within this paper various microsystems technologies for fabricating resonant markers will be compared in order to estimate their potential for a subsequent application.

Virtual Inflation of the Cerebral Artery Wall for the Integrated Exploration of OCT and Histology Data: Virtual Inflation of the Cerebral Artery Wall for the Integrated Exploration of OCT and Histology Data

Intravascular imaging provides new insights into the condition of vessel walls. This is crucial for cerebrovascular diseases including stroke and cerebral aneurysms, where it may present an important factor for indication of therapy. In this work, we provide new information of cerebral artery walls by combining ex vivo optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging with histology data sets. To overcome the obstacles of deflated and collapsed vessels due to the missing blood pressure, the lack of co‐alignment as well as the geometrical shape deformations due to catheter probing, we developed the new image processing method virtual inflation. We locally sample the vessel wall thickness based on the (deflated) vessel lumen border instead of the vessels centerline. Our method is embedded in a multi‐view framework where correspondences between OCT and histology can be highlighted via brushing and linking yielding OCT signal characteristics of the cerebral artery wall and its pathologies. Finally, we enrich the data views with a hierarchical clustering representation which is linked via virtual inflation and further supports the deduction of vessel wall pathologies.

Virtual Inflation of the Cerebral Artery Wall for the Integrated Exploration of OCT and Histology Data.

Intravascular imaging provides new insights into the condition of vessel walls. This is crucial for cerebrovascular diseases including stroke and cerebral aneurysms, where it may present an important factor for indication of therapy. In this work, we provide new information of cerebral artery walls by combining ex vivo optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging with histology data sets. To overcome the obstacles of deflated and collapsed vessels due to the missing blood pressure, the lack of co‐alignment as well as the geometrical shape deformations due to catheter probing, we developed the new image processing method virtual inflation. We locally sample the vessel wall thickness based on the (deflated) vessel lumen border instead of the vessels centerline. Our method is embedded in a multi‐view framework where correspondences between OCT and histology can be highlighted via brushing and linking yielding OCT signal characteristics of the cerebral artery wall and its pathologies. Finally, we enrich the data views with a hierarchical clustering representation which is linked via virtual inflation and further supports the deduction of vessel wall pathologies.

Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) as an additional tool for the assessment of stent structures

Abstract Evaluation of the vascular stent position, shape and correct expansion has a high relevance in therapy and diagnosis. Hence, the wall apposition in vessel areas with differing diameters and the appearance of torsions or structural defects of the implant body caused by catheter based device dropping are of special interest. Neurovascular implants like braided flow diverter and laser cut stents consist of metal struts and wires with diameters of about 40 µm. Depending on the implants material composition, visibility is poor with conventional 2D X-ray fluoroscopic and radiographic imaging. The metal structures of the implants also lead to artifacts in 3D X-ray images and can hamper the assessment of the device position. We investigated intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a new imaging tool for the evaluation of the vascular stent position, its shape and its correct expansion for 3 different vascular implants.

Performance evaluation of a C-Arm CT perfusion phantom

AbstractPurpose Brain perfusion measurement in stroke patients provides important information on the infarct area and state of involved tissue. Interventional C-Arm angiography systems can provide perfusion measurements. A CT perfusion phantom was developed for C-Arm perfusion imaging to test and evaluate this method and to aid in the design and validation of scan protocols. Methods A phantom test device was designed based on the anatomy of the human head. Four feeding arteries divided into sixteen sub-branches that lead into a sintered board simulating brain parenchyma. Perfusion measurements were performed using two conventional clinical CT scanners as the gold standard and with a C-Arm CT system to test and compare the implementations. The phantom’s input parameters, contrast medium and flow properties were varied. A cerebral perfusion deficit was simulated by occlusion of a feeding artery tube. Results CT perfusion maps of the sintered board brain tissue surrogate were computed and qualitatively compared for both conventional CT and C-Arm CT systems. A characteristic flow pattern of the tissue board was identifiable in both modalities. The characteristic flow pattern of the resulting perfusion maps is reproducible. The calculated flow and volume were directly related. Conclusions A new CT perfusion phantom was developed and tested. This phantom is an appropriate model for CT-based tissue perfusion measurements in both conventional CT scanners and C-Arm CT scanners. The influence of input parameter changes can be visualized. Perfusion deficits after occlusion of a feeding artery are readily simulated and identified with CT.

Inside-Out access strategy using new trans-vascular catheter approach

Abstract Image guided minimal invasive treatment can have large benefits for patient recovery and is lowering hospitalisation costs. But an access path, minimizing patient’s risk, is needed to reach the target structure inside of the body. Beside the use of natural orifices like oral, vaginal or anal cavities, a percutaneous puncture is common to enter the body. Also an interstitial path can be selected but if the pathological structure is situated in the deep, a long accesses path is required. Thereby the risk of additional damage and affecting organ functionality is increased. A possible option to come closer to the target structure with less organ damage is by using the vascular system. Entering the vessel from an uncritical point, the vasculature can be used as “highway” to the target structures. For the treatment of these nearby structures, the vessel has to be punctured and occluded afterwards by a save procedure. We propose an Inside-Out access strategy using a new trans-vascular catheter approach.

Novel clinical device tracking and tissue event characterization using proximally placed audio signal acquisition and processing

We propose a new and complementary approach to image guidance for monitoring medical interventional devices (MID) with human tissue interaction and surgery augmentation by acquiring acoustic emission data from the proximal end of the MID outside the patient to extract dynamical characteristics of the interaction between the distal tip and the tissue touched or penetrated by the MID. We conducted phantom based experiments (n = 955) to show dynamic tool/tissue interaction during tissue needle passage (a) and vessel perforation caused by guide wire artery perforation (b). We use time-varying auto-regressive (TV-AR) modelling to characterize the dynamic changes and time-varying maximal energy pole (TV-MEP) to compute subsequent analysis of MID/tissue interaction characterization patterns. Qualitative and quantitative analysis showed that the TV-AR spectrum and the TV-MEP indicated the time instants of the needle path through different phantom objects (a) and clearly showed a perforation versus other generated artefacts (b). We demonstrated that audio signals acquired from the proximal part of an MID could provide valuable additional information to surgeons during minimally invasive procedures.