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Jaume Garcia, Debora Gil, Sandra Pujades, & Francesc Carreras. (2008). "Valoracion de la Funcion del Ventriculo Izquierdo mediante Modelos Regionales Hiperparametricos " . Revista Española de Cardiologia, 61(3), 79.
Abstract: La mayoría de la enfermedades cardiovasculares afectan a las propiedades contráctiles de la banda ventricular helicoidal. Esto se refleja en una variación del comportamiento normal de la función ventricular. Parámetros locales tales como los strains, o la deformación experimentada por el tejido, son indicadores capaces de detectar anomalías funcionales en territorios específicos. A menudo, dichos parámetros son considerados de forma separada. En este trabajo presentamos un marco computacional (el Dominio Paramétrico Normalizado, DPN) que permite integrarlos en hiperparámetros funcionales y estudiar sus rangos de normalidad. Dichos rangos permiten valorar de forma objetiva la función regional de cualquier nuevo paciente. Para ello, consideramos secuencias de resonancia magnética etiquetada a nivel basal, medio y apical. Los hiperparámetros se obtienen a partir del movimiento intramural del VI estimado mediante el método Harmonic Phase Flow. El DPN se define a partir de en una parametrización del Ventrículo Izquierdo (VI) en sus coordenadas radiales y circunferencial basada en criterios anatómicos. El paso de los hiperparámetros al DPN hace posible la comparación entre distintos pacientes. Los rangos de normalidad se definen mediante análisis estadístico de valores de voluntarios sanos en 45 regiones del DPN a lo largo de 9 fases sistólicas. Se ha usado un conjunto de 19 (14 H; E: 30.7±7.5) voluntarios sanos para crear los patrones de normalidad y se han validado usando 2 controles sanos y 3 pacientes afectados de contractilidad global reducida. Para los controles los resultados regionales se han ajustado dentro de la normalidad, mientras que para los pacientes se han obtenido valores anormales en las zonas descritas, localizando y cuantificando así el diagnóstico empírico.
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Jaume Garcia, Debora Gil, Sandra Pujades, & Francesc Carreras. (2008). "A Variational Framework for Assessment of the Left Ventricle Motion " . International Journal Mathematical Modelling of Natural Phenomena, 3(6), 76–100.
Abstract: Impairment of left ventricular contractility due to cardiovascular diseases is reflected in left ventricle (LV) motion patterns. An abnormal change of torsion or long axis shortening LV values can help with the diagnosis and follow-up of LV dysfunction. Tagged Magnetic Resonance (TMR) is a widely spread medical imaging modality that allows estimation of the myocardial tissue local deformation. In this work, we introduce a novel variational framework for extracting the left ventricle dynamics from TMR sequences. A bi-dimensional representation space of TMR images given by Gabor filter banks is defined. Tracking of the phases of the Gabor response is combined using a variational framework which regularizes the deformation field just at areas where the Gabor amplitude drops, while restoring the underlying motion otherwise. The clinical applicability of the proposed method is illustrated by extracting normality models of the ventricular torsion from 19 healthy subjects.
Keywords: Key words: Left Ventricle Dynamics, Ventricular Torsion, Tagged Magnetic Resonance, Motion Tracking, Variational Framework, Gabor Transform.
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Joel Barajas, Jaume Garcia, Karla Lizbeth Caballero, Francesc Carreras, Sandra Pujades, & Petia Radeva. (2006). "Correction of Misalignment Artifacts Among 2-D Cardiac MR Images in 3-D Space " In 1st International Wokshop on Computer Vision for Intravascular and Intracardiac Imaging (CVII’06) (Vol. 3217, pp. 114–121). Copenhagen (Denmark).
Abstract: Cardiac Magnetic Resonance images offer the opportunity to study the heart in detail. One of the main issues in its modelling is to create an accurate 3-D reconstruction of the left ventricle from 2-D views. A first step to achieve this goal is the correct registration among the different image planes due to patient movements. In this article, we present an accurate method to correct displacement artifacts using the Normalized Mutual Information. Here, the image views are treated as planes in order to diminish the approximation error caused by the association of a certain thickness, and moved simultaneously to avoid any kind of bias in the alignment process. This method has been validated using real and syntectic plane displacements, yielding promising results.
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Jaume Garcia, Petia Radeva, & Francesc Carreras. (2004). "Combining Spectral and Active Shape methods to Track Tagged MRI " In Recent Advances in Artificial Intelligence Research and Development (pp. 37–44). IOS Press.
Abstract: Tagged magnetic resonance is a very usefull and unique tool that provides a complete local and global knowledge of the left ventricle (LV) motion. In this article we introduce a method capable of tracking and segmenting the LV. Spectral methods are applied in order to obtain the so called HARP images which encode information about movement and are the base for LV point-tracking. For segmentation we use Active Shapes (ASM) that model LV shape variation in order to overcome possible local misplacements of the boundary. We finally show experiments on both synthetic and real data which appear to be very promising.
Keywords: MR; tagged MR; ASM; LV segmentation; motion estimation.
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Francesc Carreras, Jaume Garcia, Debora Gil, Sandra Pujadas, Chi ho Lion, R.Suarez-Arias, et al. (2012). "Left ventricular torsion and longitudinal shortening: two fundamental components of myocardial mechanics assessed by tagged cine-MRI in normal subjects " . International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging, 28(2), 273–284.
Abstract: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (Cardiac MRI) has become a gold standard diagnostic technique for the assessment of cardiac mechanics, allowing the non-invasive calculation of left ventric- ular long axis longitudinal shortening (LVLS) and absolute myocardial torsion (AMT) between basal and apical left ventricular slices, a movement directly related to the helicoidal anatomic disposition of the myocardial fibers. The aim of this study is to determine AMT and LVLS behaviour and normal values from a group of healthy subjects. A group of 21 healthy volunteers (15 males) (age: 23–55 y.o., mean:30.7 ± 7.5) were prospectively included in an obser- vational study by Cardiac MRI. Left ventricular rotation (degrees) was calculated by custom-made software (Harmonic Phase Flow) in consecutive LV short axis planes tagged cine-MRI sequences. AMT was determined from the difference between basal and apical planes LV rotations. LVLS (%) was determined from the LV longitudinal and horizontal axis cine-MRI images. All the 21 cases studied were interpretable, although in three cases the value of the LV apical rotation could not be determined. The mean rotation of the basal and apical planes at end-systole were -3.71° ± 0.84° and 6.73° ± 1.69° (n:18) respectively, resulting in a LV mean AMT of 10.48° ± 1.63° (n:18). End-systolic mean LVLS was 19.07 ± 2.71%. Cardiac MRI allows for the calculation of AMT and LVLS, fundamental functional components of the ventricular twist mechanics conditioned, in turn, by the anatomical helical layout of the myocardial fibers. These values provide complementary information about systolic ventricular function in relation to the traditional parameters used in daily practice.
Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Tagging MRI; Cardiac mechanics; Ventricular torsion
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Jaume Garcia. (2009). "Statistical Models of the Architecture and Function of the Left Ventricle " (Debora Gil, Ed.). Ph.D. thesis, Ediciones Graficas Rey, .
Abstract: Cardiovascular Diseases, specially those affecting the Left Ventricle (LV), are the leading cause of death in developed countries with approximately a 30% of all global deaths. In order to address this public health concern, physicians focus on diagnosis and therapy planning. On one hand, early and accurate detection of Regional Wall Motion Abnormalities (RWMA) significantly contributes to a quick diagnosis and prevents the patient to reach more severe stages. On the other hand, a thouroughly knowledge of the normal gross anatomy of the LV, as well as, the distribution of its muscular fibers is crucial for designing specific interventions and therapies (such as pacemaker implanction). Statistical models obtained from the analysis of different imaging modalities allow the computation of the normal ranges of variation within a given population. Normality models are a valuable tool for the definition of objective criterions quantifying the degree of (anomalous) deviation of the LV function and anatomy for a given subject. The creation of statistical models involve addressing three main issues: extraction of data from images, definition of a common domain for comparison of data across patients and designing appropriate statistical analysis schemes. In this PhD thesis we present generic image processing tools for the creation of statistical models of the LV anatomy and function. On one hand, we use differential geometry concepts to define a computational framework (the Normalized Parametric Domain, NPD) suitable for the comparison and fusion of several clinical scores obtained over the LV. On the other hand, we present a variational approach (the Harmonic Phase Flow, HPF) for the estimation of myocardial motion that provides dense and continuous vector fields without overestimating motion at injured areas. These tools are used for the creation of statistical models. Regarding anatomy, we obtain an atlas jointly modelling, both, LV gross anatomy and fiber architecture. Regarding function, we compute normality patterns of scores characterizing the (global and local) LV function and explore, for the first time, the configuration of local scores better suited for RWMA detection.
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Jaume Garcia, Debora Gil, Francesc Carreras, Sandra Pujades, R.Leta, Xavier Alomar, et al. (2008). "Patrons de Normalitat Regional per la Valoració de la Funció del Ventricle Esquerre " In XX Congrés de la Societat Catalana de Cardiologia (60). Barcelona.
Abstract: Les malalties cardiovasculars afecten les propietats contràctils de la banda ventricular i provoquen una variació de la funció del Ventricle Esquerre (VE) . Només els indicadors locals (strains, la deformació del teixit) són capaços de detectar anomalies en territoris específics del VE . Patrons de normalitat regionals d’aquests paràmetres serien d’utilitat a l’hora de valorar-ne la funció .
Presentem un Domini Paramètric Normalitzat (DPN) que permet comparar dades de diferents pacients i definir Patrons de Normalitat Regional (PNR)
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Jaume Garcia, Debora Gil, Francesc Carreras, Sandra Pujades, R.Leta, Xavier Alomar, et al. (2008). "Un Model 3D del Ventricle Esquerre Integrant Anatomia i Funcionalitat " In XX Congrés de la Societat Catalana de Cardiologia, Actes del Congres (122). Barcelona.
Abstract: Els canvis en la dinàmica del Ventricle Esquerre (VE) reflecteixen la majoria de malalties cardiovasculars . Els avenços en imatge mèdica han impulsat la recerca en models i simulacions de la dinàmica 3D del VE . La majoria dels models existents sols consideren l’anatomia externa del VE i no permeten una avaluació de l’acoblament electromecànic . Donat que la mecànica d’un muscle depèn de la orientació de les seves fibres, un model realista hauria d’incloure la disposició espacial de la banda ventricular helicoidal (BVH) .
Proposem desenvolupar un model del VE adaptat a cada pacient que integri, per primer cop, l’anatomia de la banda ventricular, l’anatomia externa del VE i la seva funcionalitat, per a una millor determinació del patró d’activació electromecànica
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Jaume Garcia, Debora Gil, Francesc Carreras, Sandra Pujades, & R.Leta. (2007). "Modelització 4-Dimensional de la Funció Siatólica del Ventricle Esquerre " In XIX Congrés de la Societat Catalana de Cardiologia de Barcelona (pp. 133–134). Barcelona (Spain).
Abstract: L’evolució tecnològica en el tractament de les imatges mèdiques permet reconstruir, amb el software apropiat, imatges tridimensionals de les estructures cardiovasculars i dotar-les de moviment. Les imatges 4D resultants faciliten l’estudi de la fisiopatologia de la insuficiència cardíaca en base als transtorns de l’activació electromecànica ventricular, el que pot ser d’interès en el procés de selecció de pacients candidats a teràpies de resincronització. Presentem els resultats preliminars de la reconstrucció 4D del ventricle esquerre (VE) a partir de les seqüències de tagging miocàrdic del VE.
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Jaume Garcia, Debora Gil, Luis Badiella, Aura Hernandez-Sabate, Francesc Carreras, Sandra Pujades, et al. (2010). "A Normalized Framework for the Design of Feature Spaces Assessing the Left Ventricular Function " . IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, 29(3), 733–745.
Abstract: A through description of the left ventricle functionality requires combining complementary regional scores. A main limitation is the lack of multiparametric normality models oriented to the assessment of regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA). This paper covers two main topics involved in RWMA assessment. We propose a general framework allowing the fusion and comparison across subjects of different regional scores. Our framework is used to explore which combination of regional scores (including 2-D motion and strains) is better suited for RWMA detection. Our statistical analysis indicates that for a proper (within interobserver variability) identification of RWMA, models should consider motion and extreme strains.
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