Lower extremity CT angiography (CTA): initial evaluation of a knowledge-based centerline estimation algorithm for femoro-popliteal artery (FPA) occlusions.

Rationale And Objectives: Existing density- and gradient-based automated centerline-extraction algorithms fail in severely diseased or occluded arterial segments for the generation of curved planar reformations (CPRs). We aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the precision of a knowledge-based centerline-extraction algorithm in patients with occluded femoro-popliteal artery (FPA).

Material And Methods: Computed tomography angiograms of 38 FPA occlusions (mean length 120 mm) were retrospectively identified.