Radiomic Texture Analysis of Transient Volumetric Fields

A method for analyzing volumetric and surface data associated with a vessel, said vessel being an arterial vessel, said method comprising:

• simulating dynamics of blood flow to model flow and structure behavior within said vessel,
• evaluating volumetric parameters and surface parameters resulting from said blood flow, and
• processing data taking into account parameter type and non-spatial characteristics,
• wherein processing said data comprises processing volumetric data, said volumetric data comprising a non-spatial coordinate,
• wherein processing said volumetric data comprises projecting an input volume onto each surface from a plurality of surfaces and doing so in a manner that preserves attenuation information, each of said surfaces being a two-dimensional surface,
• using a tool to analyze said volumetric data, said tool being selected from the group consisting of a feature-extraction tool and a feature-analysis tool,
• stacking said surfaces onto which said input volume has been projected, thereby capturing evolution of pattern characteristics in said non-spatial coordinate, and
• processing surface data on a surface of an arbitrary shape, wherein processing said surface data comprises:
• mapping the wall parameters to a first surface, the first surface enclosing a region of interest,
• mapping the first surface onto a second surface,
• integrating the second surface into a volume, thereby defining the volumetric data, the volumetric data having at least one non-spatial coordinate, and
• using feature extraction and feature analysis tools, carrying out texture analysis on pixels within the volumetric data,
• wherein the mapping from the wall to the first surface is continuous, and
• wherein the mapping from the first surface to the second surface is a discontinuous unraveling of the first surface to the second surface.

An apparatus for analyzing volumetric data, said apparatus comprising radiomics circuitry and image acquisition circuitry,

• wherein said image acquisition circuitry provides, to said radiomics circuitry, an image of a structure that is in a fluid,
• wherein said radiomics circuitry comprises a flow simulator, first and second projectors, and an assembler,
• wherein said flow simulator is configured:
• to receive first information and second information, wherein said first information is based on said structure and wherein said second information is indicative of time-varying mechanical energy applied to said fluid during a time interval that comprises a plurality of times,
• to use computational fluid dynamics to model flow of said fluid adjacent to a first surface during said time interval, said first surface being defined based on said first information, and
• to generate, for each of said times in said plurality of times, a corresponding first texture-map on said first surface, said first texture-map being indicative of a physical quantity resulting from said fluid flow,
• wherein said first projector is configured to carry out a continuous mapping of each of said first texture-maps to a second surface that surrounds said first surface, whereby said first projector generates a plurality of second texture-maps, each of which is a mapping onto said second surface at a corresponding time from said plurality of times in said time interval,
• wherein said second projector is configured to carry out a discontinuous mapping of each of said second texture-maps to a third surface, said third surface being discontinuous along a one-dimensional subspace of said first surface, whereby said second projector generates a plurality of third texture-maps, each of which is a mapping onto said third surface at a corresponding one of said times in said time interval, and
• wherein said assembler is configured to integrate said third texture-maps into a volume, thereby defining said volumetric data, said volumetric data having at least one non-spatial coordinate.