In this paper, we have described a shape-based methodology aimed at more accurately and objectively determining and quantifying the local, regional and global dynamic function of the left ventricle of the heart from 4D image data. We have outlined our animal model, the imaging technique, and image analysis methods to tessellate LV surfaces, to infer differential shape properties, to track non-rigid motion of the surfaces, and to quantify the myocardial function. Three-dimensional visualization techniques and favorable initial experimental results are also presented.
Future research will involve incorporation of temporal periodic characteristics of the heart motion within the current framework, matching and validating geometrical landmarks instead of arbitrarily subsampled points, and integration of the motion matching and smoothing procedures.