Abstract: Plaque analysis in IVUS planes needs accurate intima and adventitia models. Large variety in adventitia descriptors difficulties its detection and motivates using a classification strategy for selecting points on the structure. Whatever the set of descriptors used, the selection stage suffers from fake responses due to noise and uncompleted true curves. In order to smooth background noise while strengthening responses, we apply a restricted anisotropic filter that homogenizes grey levels along the image significant structures. Candidate points are extracted by means of a simple semi supervised adaptive classification of the filtered image response to edge and calcium detectors. The final model is obtained by interpolating the former line segments with an anisotropic contour closing technique based on functional extension principles.

Abstract: Restoration of coronary flow after primary percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction does not always correlate with adequate myocardial perfusion. Recently, coronary angiography has been used to assess microcirculation integrity (Myocardial BlushAnalysis, MBA). Although MBA correlates with patient prognosis there are few image processing methods addressing objective perfusion quantification. The goal of this work is to develop statistical descriptors of the myocardial dyeing pattern allowing objective assessment of myocardial perfusion. Experiments on healthy right coronary arteries show that our approach allows reliable measurements without any specific image acquisition protocol.

Abstract: Evaluation of arterial tissue biomechanics for diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases is an active research field in the biomedical imaging processing area. IntraVascular UltraSound (IVUS) is a unique tool for such assessment since it reflects tissue morphology and deformation. A proper quantification and visualization of both properties is hindered by vessel structures misalignments introduced by cardiac dynamics. This has encouraged development of IVUS motion compensation techniques. However, there is a lack of an objective evaluation of motion reduction ensuring a reliable clinical application This work reports a novel score, the Conservation of Density Rate (CDR), for validation of motion compensation in in-vivo pullbacks. Synthetic experiments validate the proposed score as measure of motion parameters accuracy; while results in in vivo pullbacks show its reliability in clinical cases.

Abstract: Longitudinal motion artifacts in IntraVascular UltraSound (IVUS) sequences hinders a properly 3D reconstruction and vessel measurements. Most of current techniques base on the ECG signal to obtain a gated pullback without the longitudinal artifact by using a specific hardware or the ECG signal itself. The potential of IVUS images processing for phase retrieval still remains little explored. In this paper, we present a fast forward image-based algorithm to approach ECG sampling. Inspired on the fact that maximum and minimum lumen areas are related to end-systole and end-diastole, our cardiac phase retrieval is based on the analysis of tissue density of mass along the sequence. The comparison between automatic and manual phase retrieval (0.07 ± 0.07 mm. of error) encourages a deep validation contrasting with ECG signals.

Abstract: Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an educational strategy to improve student’s learning capability that, in recent years, has had a progressive acceptance in undergraduate studies. This methodology is based on solving a problem or project in a student working group. In this way, PBL focuses on learning the necessary tools to correctly find a solution to given problems. Since the learning initiative is transferred to the student, the PBL method promotes students own abilities. This allows a better assessment of the true workload that carries out the student in the subject. It follows that the methodology conforms to the guidelines of the Bologna document, which quantifies the student workload in a subject by means of the European credit transfer system (ECTS). PBL is currently applied in undergraduate studies needing strong practical training such as medicine, nursing or law sciences. Although this is also the case in engineering studies, amazingly, few experiences have been reported. In this paper we propose to use PBL in the educational organization of the Computer Graphics subjects in the Computer Science degree. Our PBL project focuses in the development of a C++ graphical environment based on the OpenGL libraries for visualization and handling of different graphical objects. The starting point is a basic skeleton that already includes lighting functions, perspective projection with mouse interaction to change the point of view and three predefined objects. Students have to complete this skeleton by adding their own functions to solve the project. A total number of 10 projects have been proposed and successfully solved. The exercises range from human face rendering to articulated objects, such as robot arms or puppets. In the present paper we extensively report the statement and educational objectives for two of the projects: solar system visualization and a chess game. We report our earlier educational experience based on the standard classroom theoretical, problem and practice sessions and the reasons that motivated searching for other learning methods. We have mainly chosen PBL because it improves the student learning initiative. We have applied the PBL educational model since the beginning of the second semester. The student’s feedback increases in his interest for the subject. We present a comparative study of the teachers’ and students’ workload between PBL and the classic teaching approach, which suggests that the workload increase in PBL is not as high as it seems.