Three-dimensional reconstruction of pulmonary blood vasculature from plain computed tomography using Ziostation2

Abstract

Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) of the pulmonary blood vasculature helps perform safe navigation during video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), which anatomically involves a variety of blood vessels. Generally, 3D-CT is reconstructed from contrast-enhanced CT data using a workstation semi-automatically. However, some patients are allergic to contrast mediums, have poor renal functions, or are receiving biguanide medications; the utmost care is required to perform contrast-enhanced CT in such cases. In recent years, virtual bronchoscopy is reconstructed from plain CT using air surrounding the bronchus as negative contrast medium. From this point of view, air surrounding the pulmonary blood vasculature also becomes negative contrast medium, and we can obtain 3D-CT of the pulmonary blood vasculature from plain CT. In some cases, 3D-CT of the pulmonary blood vasculature from plain CT helps in VATS just as contrast-enhanced CT.