Digital imaging, image processing, and three-dimensional computer graphics for radiology.

The acquisition of medical images and their display, manipulation, and applications have advanced significantly in the recent past. MR imaging using ultrafast echo planar and fast gradient-echo techniques have expanded application in cardiovascular studies, as well as in the brain and spinal cord. Spiral CT has the potential to revolutionize a well-established modality, subject to several important limitations. The postprocessing of medical sectional images from MR imaging, CT, ultrasound, positron emission tomography, and single-photon emission CT has rapidly grown in importance. We have seen the emergence of renewed and expanded applications of these images, suitably processed, in directing planning and performance of therapeutic procedures on patients through stereotactic techniques, intravascular ultrasound, robot surgery, and integrated displays. This more central role of three-dimensional imaging to medical care is new and will continue to grow. Research applications have recently appeared in neuromorphometry, multimodality registration, functional neuroimaging, quantitative coronary angiography, and saturation MR techniques for myocardial tissue tagging.