Systems, devices, and methods for non-invasive image-based plaque analysis and risk determination

A computer-implemented method of assessing a state of cardiovascular disease for a subject based on multi-dimensional information derived from non-invasive medical image analysis, the method comprising:

• accessing, by a computer system, a medical image of a subject, wherein the medical image of the subject is obtained non-invasively;
• analyzing, by the computer system, the medical image of the subject to identify one or more arteries, wherein the one or more arteries comprise one or more regions of plaque;
• identifying, by the computer system, a hypothetical cut line along the one or more arteries, wherein the hypothetical cut line is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the one or more arteries;
• computationally unfolding, by the computer system, the one or more arteries along the hypothetical cut line;
• identifying, by the computer system, one or more regions of plaque on the computationally unfolded one or more arteries;
• identifying, by the computer system, one or more regions of exposed plaque among the one or more regions of plaque on the computationally unfolded one or more arteries;
• analyzing, by the computer system, the one or more regions of exposed plaque to determine one or more plaque parameters and one or more vessel parameters, wherein the one or more plaque parameters comprises one or more of surface area of plaque, thickness of plaque, composition of plaque, heterogeneity of plaque, or depth to a plaque component, and wherein the one or more vessel parameters comprises one or more of surface area of vessel wall, thickness of vessel wall, stenosis of vessel lumen, remodeling index, surface irregularity, surface asymmetry, or surface ulceration;
• mapping, by the computer system, the one or more regions of exposed plaque and the computationally unfolded one or more arteries to a coordinate system;
• analyzing, by the computer system, a position of the one or more regions of exposed plaque based at least in part on the mapping of the one or more regions of exposed plaque and the computationally unfolded one or more arteries to a coordinate system;
• and
• generating, by the computer system, an assessment of a cardiovascular disease state of the one or more regions of exposed plaque based at least in part on the determined one or more plaque parameters, one or more vessel parameters, and analyzed position of the one or more regions of exposed plaque,
• wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.