Estimation of the diameter of and iodine concentration within blood vessels using digital radiography devices

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Abstract
Blood flow and accurate measures of stenosis are of diagnostic significance. A variety of digital radiographic and fluoroscopic devices were developed which can isolate small concentrations of I within the cardiovascular system. Using these devices, time dependent subtraction images were formed which only display opacified vasculature. Theory is presented and simple methods were developed for determining vessel diameters and I concentration from such subtraction images. The methods were verified using plexiglass and aluminum vessel phantoms imaged with a computerized radiography device. Using this device the diameter of a 5-mm-diameter vessel could be determined to within 6% (0.28 mm) even though the pixel width in the digitized image corresponded to 1.34 mm. In the same vessel, it is estimated that an I concentration of 46 mg/cm3 could be determined with 10% accuracy.