Curvature-based Diagram Description of Deforming Contour and Its Application to X-ray Cardiac Image Diagnosis

Abstract

This paper proposes a method to describe left-ventricular (LV) motion in X-ray cardiac (heart) images using a curvature-based process diagram. Based on this diagram, shape dynamics can be described as graph patterns to enable an easy interpretation for medical diagnosis. We take curvatures of two regional contours of X-ray heart image as characteristics of the shape, because these parts are deeply related to heart disease. Plotting these curvatures in the diagram during endocardium motion, we obtain graph pattern. In this diagram, every point location corresponds to LV contour shape, and the pattern corresponds to its motion. So that, even though LV shapes differ from each person individually, we obtain same patterns if their motions are same. We applied the method to real X-ray images and compared between normal and abnormal left-ventricular motions. The results promises the possibility of automated diagnosis from these diagram patterns.