These animated micro-CT based images show the moving blood in the left ventricle (LV) of a mouse heart during one heartbeat. The temporal resolution is 10 ms and the spatial resolution is 100 microns on all axes. This 4D segmentation, analysis, and rendering use the Volume Browser (VB) developed by the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC). PSC is collaborating with CIVM to extend VB to handle four dimensional data: space plus time, such as these volume series from our micro-CT system and MRM studies of mouse development.

 

This animation shows one view of the heart provided by VB. The greyscale information includes the lung, ribs, and the rest of the heart surrounding the LV. Within the browser, it is possible to view the heart from any direction while it beats. Based on LV volumetric measurements from VB, functional cardiac measures such as Ejection Fraction, Stroke Volume and Cardiac output are computed automatically. VB is also supports high speed access to the anatomy of the Visible Human. Our collaboration is supported by a grant from the National Library of Medicine to PSC.