In many cases, extraction and visualization of blood vessels in 3D magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) images are important in clinical diagnosis and surgery planning. Thus, this paper proposes a novel method to reconstruct high-accuracy outer surface of blood vessels from the 3D MRA. With the method, we first detect such local regions that contain blood structures from 3D image by using a boundary tracking technique. Second, in different local regions, different optimal isosurface patches are computed to adaptively represent outer surface of the contained blood vessels. Finally, all computed isosurface patches form a high-accuracy surface model for outer surface of the whole blood vessel structure are obtained. Error analysis and experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Algorithms ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Brain ; anatomy & histology ; blood supply ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; methods ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; methods ; Models, Theoretical

Optical imaging of intrinsic signals is a secondary image of the cerebral cortex. The weak optical signal is decided by anatomical structure of brain. The spatial filter is a powerful technology for de-noising and image enhancement. We used different linear and nonlinear filters to deal with optical imaging. Furthermore, we compared the degree of noise suppression and discussed the image details. Our result showed that nonlinear median filter can keep more image details with effective noise reduction. It is useful for image enhancement of optical imaging.
Animals ; Artifacts ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Cats ; Cerebral Cortex ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; physiology ; Female ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; methods ; Male ; Optical Imaging ; methods ; Photic Stimulation

To automatically infer the patterns of vessel structure such as the distal ends, segments, bifurvessel structures, and crossing of two vessels in X-ray angiographic images, a novel method is presented based on Gabor filter and circle detector. The method can cope with varying vessel curvature and intensity feature occur along the longitudinal vessel direction. The present study can facilitate 2-D quantitative description of vessel tree and 3-D vessel reconstruction, and provide an elementary clue for the diagnostics. The proposed method has been successively applied to both synthetic images for validation purposes and the actual angiographic images, which yielded encouraging results.
Algorithms ; Angiography ; methods ; Artifacts ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; pathology ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Pattern Recognition, Automated ; methods

OBJECTIVETo provide appropriate needling angle and depth for the acupuncture and acupoint injection at Neiguan (PC 6), and to avoid damaging nerves and vessels so as to produce its maximum effect.

METHODSThirty adults' upper-limb samples were used to dissect and observe the referred hierarchical structure and adjoining crucially nerves and vessels in needling Neiguan (PC 6) according to the national standard Acupoint Location (GB 12346-90).

RESULTSIn this punctuation region, there are three parts rich in connective tissues containing the nerves and blood vessels. The surface part is between the skin and the musculus flexor digitorum superficialis and it is the tissue which contains medial and lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve and its nutrient artery. The middle part is between the musculus flexor digitorum superficialis and the flexor digitorum profundus muscle and contains the median nerve, its palmar branch of and artery. The deep part is between the pronator quadratus muscle and the interosseous membrane and contains the anterior interosseous nerve. When perpendicular needling, the depth of needling the body from skin to the superficial surface of the musculus flexor digitorum superficialis and to the superficial surface of the flexor digitorum profundus muscle is (6.68 +/- 0.64) mm and (12.37 +/- 0.87) mm respectively. The depth of needling the body from skin to the superficial surface of the pronator quadratus muscle and to the superficial surface of the anterior interosseous terminal branch of the nerves is (17.83 +/- 1.00) mm and (30.87 +/- 1.85) mm respectively, and the proportional cun is (2.20 +/- 0.14) cm. The ulnaris cord of median nerves are located at the radial of the needle. The deep layers could touch the anterior interosseous nerve ending.

CONCLUSIONPerpendicularly needling Neiguan (PC 6) for 3 fen (6.68 mm), 5 fen (12.37 mm) and 1.4 cun (30.87 mm) will stimulate the nervus vascularis of the rich part of surface, middle and deep connective tissues respectively and produce the acupuncture effect. During the acupoint injection, perforating the needle perpendicularly at the middle point of the two tendons or deviating slightly to the direction of tendon of palmaris longus can avoid the damage of the median nerve cord.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; anatomy & histology ; blood supply ; innervation ; Nerve Tissue ; anatomy & histology

Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Facial Nerve ; blood supply ; Humans

Animals ; Apolipoproteins E ; deficiency ; genetics ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Fluorescence ; Lipofuscin ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout

A kind of active catheter used for minimally invasive surgery and actuated by shape memory alloy (SMA) was developed in this paper. The outer diameter of the catheter is 1.25 mm. The catheter was designed to consist of several bending units for achieving a large bending angle, but at the same time not increasing the outer diameter too much. It was considered that the deflection curve of axis of the catheter is determined by the output force of the SMA actuators. Based on large deflection theory, the deflection curve equation of the axis of the catheter was set up using precise form of the curvature. Through integral transform, the length and output force of each SMA actuator under the anticipative attitude of the tip of the active catheter were obtained, and the accurate coordinate of the center of the joint was givein. This study has provided great convenience to get control of the catheter, and has improved, to a certain extent, the design philosophy of problems such as active catheter.
Alloys ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Catheterization ; instrumentation ; Computer-Aided Design ; Elasticity ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; Models, Theoretical

OBJECTIVETo study the anatomy of the small intestine,and investigate the optimal selection of donors,recipients,and their small intestine vessels in piglet small intestine transplantation.

METHODSThe weight and length of 30 piglets were measured. Angiography and pigments perfusion were used to observe the main vessels of the small intestine,and the length of the small intestine,and the external diameter of the main vessels of the small intestine were measured in vivo and ex vivo.

RESULTSThe length of the small intestine was 11.5 times as long as the body length, and its weight accounted for 2.3% of the body weight. The outer diameters of abdominal aorta (AT), mesenteric anterior artery (MAA) and its 5(th)-6(th) branches in vivo and ex vitro were 4.3/4.6mm, 2.5/2.7mm and 1.9/2.2mm respectively. The total number of MAA's branches was 6-8 in general and its 5(th)-6(th) branches were the longest [(20.0 +/- 7.0) mm, (22.0 +/- 8.2) mm]. The outer diameter of mesenterial anterior vein (MAV) was 1-2 mm wider than that of MAA.

CONCLUSIONSAT, MAA and its 5(th)-6(th) branches are the preferable vessels for small intestine transplantation. In segmental small intestine transplantation, the length of the small intestine and body weight can be used to primarily select the suitable animals.

Animals ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Female ; Intestine, Small ; blood supply ; transplantation ; Male ; Organ Transplantation ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

OBJECTIVETo observe the distribution of the blood vessels in the integument tissue of the channel area of legs.

METHODSThe integument tissue of the lower limbs in the 12 cadavers were dissected with macro-and micro-dissection, radiographical technique of systemic artery and technique of image pattern analysis to observe and analyze the origins, branches and anastomoses in the integument tissues along the channels of legs.

RESULTSThe distributional density of the blood vessels in the integument tissues of legs along the channel area of the three-yin meridians of the foot, the Gallbladder Meridian, and the Urinary Bladder Meridian was higher than that in the other parts. They formed an obvious nutrient vascular chain on the arteriogram. The distributional density in the channel area of the Stomach Meridian was not obviously increased and the obvious nutrient vascular chain could not be seen.

CONCLUSIONAn obvious nutrient vascular chain is formed in the integument tissue along the channel area of legs except the Stomach Meridian.

Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Leg ; blood supply ; Meridians

OBJECTIVEto investigate the pattern of the blood supply and the nerve distribution of breast, in order to find a way for short-scar reduction mammaplasty.

METHODSTwelve adult women cadavers were investigated for the vascularture of the anterior thorax and the nerve distribution of the breasts by using the blood vessel casting, specimen transparency technique and the autopsy. Based on the anatomical study, a modified double-circle reduction mammaplasty technique was designed to treat 28 patients with hypertrophical breasts.

RESULTSThere existed two- or three-layers vasculature in the anterior thorax. The extensive vertical vascular anastomoses were found among the three layers. The cutaneous perforators, penetrated out of the pectoralis major muscle, were formed a dense vessel network in the retromammary space. The vertical vessels thereafter emerged from the network, passed through gland and linked to the subcutaneous vessels. These vertical vessels were smaller and denser above the fourth intercostal space, but they were larger and sparser below the fourth intercostal space. The innervation of the nipple-areola mainly came from the lateral deep branches of the 4th intercostal nerve. It appeared S-shape running into the dropped breasts. The 28 patients were successfully treated with the modified technique, except one case with the loss of the nipple-areola sense.

CONCLUSIONThe modified double-circle reduction mammaplasty could maximally fulfill the blood supply to the remained gland and the innervations to the nipple-areola, by keeping the advantages of the traditional technique such as invisible scar, good projection and the long lasting results. It could also be a safe and reliable technique.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Breast ; blood supply ; innervation ; surgery ; Cadaver ; Female ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; methods ; Models, Anatomic ; Nervous System ; anatomy & histology ; Treatment Outcome