Automatic road mapping for heart valve replacement

A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program for providing visual guidance for heart valve replacement, said program having instructions executable by a processor for performing a plurality of acts, said plurality comprising the acts of:

• a) acquiring, with injected contrast agent, an image of a region of a vessel root segment that adjoins a given native valve;
• b) identifying vessel information data within said acquired image;
• c) using the identified vessel information data to model said vessel root, the model including an outline of said vessel root and an annulus plane of the vessel root;
• d) acquiring a current fluoroscopy image of the vessel root region;
• e) generating a composite image by combining the model of said vessel root with said current fluoroscopy image by merging, overlappingly with said current fluoroscopy image, a representation of said model that includes the outline and the representation of the annulus plane;
• and
• f) displaying said composite image, including the outline and the representation of the annulus plane, on a display.

An examination apparatus for providing visual guidance for heart valve replacement, the examination apparatus comprising:

• an X-ray image acquisition device;
• and a display device;
• said examination apparatus being configured for, via use of said X-ray image acquisition device and injected contrast agent:
• acquiring an X-ray image of a vessel root region of a heart;
• and
• via said X-ray image acquisition device, acquiring a current fluoroscopy image of both said vessel root region and of a replacement valve that is for replacing a native valve and that is disposed within the vessel,
• said examination apparatus being further configured for:
• identifying vessel information data within the acquired X-ray image;
• producing a model by using the identified vessel information data, the model including an outline of the vessel root region and a representation of an annulus plane;
• generating a composite image by merging said model, overlappingly with said current fluoroscopy image;
• and
• displaying, via said display device, said composite image,
• wherein said displaying includes displaying said outline and said representation of said annulus plane.