From Real MRA to Virtual MRA: Towards an Open-Source Framework

Angiographic imaging is a crucial domain of medical imaging. In particular , Magnetic Resonance Angiography( MRA) is used for both clinical and research purposes. This article presents the first framework geared toward the design of virtual MRAimages from real MRAimages. It relies on a pipeline that involves image processing, vascular modeling, computational fluid dynamics and MR image simulation, with several purposes. It aims to provide to the whole scientific community(1) software tools for MRAanalysis and blood flow simulation ; and (2) data (computational meshes, virtual MRAswith associated ground truth), in an open-source / open-dataparadigm. Beyond these purposes, it constitutes a versatile tool for progressing in the understanding of vascular networks, especially in the brain, and the associated imaging technologies.