fracAnalyse

Fractal analysis tool for computation of LV/RV fractal characteristics, using LVSA series from CMR. Supports DICOMs/NIFTIs.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Current version is supported on Mac OS and Windows.

It is essential to set up MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR) 2016b prior to installation of fracAnalyse. MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR): https://www.mathworks.com/products/compiler/mcr.html

Installing

Download latest release from Releases

Fractal Analysis

Loading Images

1. Click Select Folder and choose base folder containing DICOMs/NIFTIs of CMR studies

Base_Folder/Subj_xx/LVSA_Series/*.dcm
Base_Folder/Subj_xx/LVSA_Series/*.nii

2. Select study to be analysed from list and click Load Study

3. Selected study will be loaded and shown in main window, adjust image slice location as appropriate, with base of LV at Slice Location 1

Defining Region of Interest (ROI)

ROIs can be defined using ellipse or polygonal tools

1. Click either ROI (Ellipse) or ROI (Polygon) as appropriate and adjust ROI such that it outside of LV endocardial border

2. Double click to confirm ROI placement

3. Repeat for each slice as desired

Fractal Dimension Computation

1. Click Compute FD, fractal analysis will proceed automatically

2. Images of thresholding, binary masks and computed FD values will be found in Base Folder

Base_Folder/ThresImg/Subj_xx/thresSlicexxPhasexx.png
Base_Folder/ThresImg/Subj_xx/binaryMaskSlicexxPhasexx.png
Base_Folder/FDSummary.csv

Reference Ranges for Healthy Chinese

Reference ranges for LV trabeculation (fractal dimension; FD) and myocardial deformation (global myocardial strain) parameters can be found at Reference Ranges

Citation

Software:

Cai J, O'Regan DP. (2017, August 1). UK-Digital-Heart-Project/fracAnalyse: fracAnalyse v1.2 (Version v1.2). Zenodo. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.837246

LV analysis:

Cai J, Bryant JA, Le T-T, Su B, de Marvao A, O’Regan DP, Cook SA, Chin CW-L: Fractal analysis of left ventricular trabeculations is associated with impaired myocardial deformation in healthy Chinese. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2017, 19:102.

RV analysis:

Dawes T, Cai J, Quinlan M, de Marvao A, Ostowski P, Tokarczuk P, Watson G, Wharton J, Howard L, Gibbs J, Cook S, Wilkins M and O'Regan DP. Fractal analysis of right ventricular trabeculae in pulmonary hypertension. Radiology. 2018, 288(2):386-395.