The cardiac valve having a valvular disease does not normally operate. That is, the valve does not completely close or open.
When considering a treatment policy or plan for a valvular disease, a doctor uses a valvular orifice area and the like as information for decision making. For example, when deciding a treatment policy for a valvular disease or making a treatment plan, the doctor visually estimates a valvular orifice area by using three-dimensional image data associated with the cardiac valve, and evaluates the degree of seriousness of a lesion based on the estimated valvular orifice area. There has been no technique established to quantitatively evaluate the behavior of each cardiac valve in deciding a treatment policy or plan for a valvular disease.
It is an object to provide an image processing apparatus which can improve operation efficiency and diagnosis accuracy associated with a valvular disease by a doctor, a technician, and the like.