Multiplanar reformation (MPR)

Multiplanar reformation or reconstruction (MPR) involves the process of converting data from an imaging modality acquired in a certain plane, usually axial, into another plane . It is most commonly performed with thin-slice data from volumetric CT in the axial plane, but it may be accomplished with scanning in any plane and whichever modality capable of cross-sectional imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), PET and SPECT.

The acquired data, for example from the axial plane, can then be converted to non-axial planes such as coronal, sagittal or oblique. In addition, with the aid of various software, several manipulations of the data can be made. One of these methods, called curved planar reformation (CPR), involves tracing a structure, usually a blood vessel, and generating a planar (two-dimensional) image that transects the structure along its short axis. This is very useful in CT/MR angiography (CTA).

Also, reformatted data can be used to generate maximum intensity projections (MIPs) or minimum intensity projections (MinIPs).