SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PREDICTING CORONARY PLAQUE VULNERABILITY FROM PATIENT-SPECIFIC ANATOMIC IMAGE DATA

摘要

Systems and methods are disclosed for predicting coronary plaque vulnerability, using a computer system. One method includes acquiring anatomical image data of at least part of the patient's vascular system; performing, using a processor, one or more image characteristics analysis, geometrical analysis, computational fluid dynamics analysis, and structural mechanics analysis on the anatomical image data; calculating an adverse plaque characteristic from said one or more; determining locations of the patient's vascular system for which plaque vulnerability may be identified; determining, for each determined location, a feature vector comprising a numerical description of at least one of: the geometry, biophysical hemodynamics, and wall or plaque biomechanical characteristics at that location, and physiological or phenotypic parameters of the patient; and determining, using the processor, a plaque vulnerability present in the patient's vascular system based on the feature vectors.