Measurement and analysis of geometric parameters of human carotid bifurcation using image post-processing technique

Objective: To investigate variation in the carotid bifurcation geometry of adults of different age by MR angiography images combining image post-processing technique. Methods: Images of the carotid bifurcations of 27 young adults (≤40 years old) and 30 older subjects ( > 40 years old) were acquired via contrast-enhanced MR angiography. Three dimensional (3D) geometries of the bifurcations were reconstructed and geometric parameters were measured by post-processing technique. Results: The geometric parameters of the young versus older groups were as follows: bifurcation angle (70.268 degree± 16.050 degree versus 58.857 degree±13.294 degree), ICA angle (36.893 degree±11.837 degree versus 30.275 degree±9.533 degree), ICA planarity (6.453 degree ± 5.009 degree versus 6.263 degree ±4.250 degree), CCA tortuosity (0.023±0.011 versus 0.014± 0.005), ICA tortuosity (0.070±0.042 versus 0.046±0.022), ICA/CCA diameter ratio (0.693± 0.132 versus 0.728±0.106), ECA/CCA diameter ratio (0.750±0.123 versus 0.809±0.122), ECA/ ICA diameter ratio (1.103±0.201 versus 1.127±0.195), bifurcation area ratio (1.057±0.281 versus 1.291±0.252). There was significant statistical difference between young group and older group in-bifurcation angle, ICA angle, CCA tortuosity, ICA tortuosity, ECA/CCA and bifurcation area ratio (F= 17.16, 11.74, 23.02, 13.38, 6.54, 22.80, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions: MR angiography images combined with image post-processing technique can reconstruct 3D carotid bifurcation geometry and measure the geometric parameters of carotid bifurcation in vivo individually. It provides a new and convenient method to investigate the relationship of vascular geometry and flow condition with atherosclerotic pathological changes. (authors)