A novel segmentation and navigation tool for endovascular stenting of aortic aneurysms

Endovascular stenting is a minimally invasive technique to exclude an aortic aneurysm or dissection from the circulatory system Currently, there is no technical aid to guide the surgical staff during the intervention, except the default visualization interface provided with the CT scanner and mobile C-arm. The purpose of our proposed system is twofold: (1) in the planning phase, a modified graph cuts algorithm automatically segments the aorta and aneurysm, so the surgical staff can choose an appropriate type of stent to match the segmented location, length, and diameter of the aneurysm and aorta. (2) During implantation of the stent graft, after a landmark based registration of CT and angiography data, the current position of the stent can be visualized in the 3D CT data set at any time. This will enhance the accuracy of the actions of the surgeon, along with a minimum use of angiography, leading to less radiation exposure and less contrast agent injection.