Computerized segmentation of ureters in CT urography (CTU) using COMPASS
Computerized segmentation of ureters in CT urography (CTU) using COMPASS
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使用 COMPASS 在 CT 尿路造影 (CTU) 中对输尿管进行计算机化分割
DOI：
10.1117/12.2008244
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发表时间：
2013
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Jun Wei
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Lubomir M. Hadjiiski;H. Chan;L. Niland;R. Cohan;E. Caoili;Chuan Zhou;Jun Wei
我们正在开发输尿管CTU自动分割的计算机系统，作为输尿管癌计算机辅助诊断的重要组成部分。输尿管分割的一个挑战是存在静脉造影剂不能很好混浊的区域。我们提出了一种结合模型引导的寻路分析和分割系统（COMPASS）来跟踪CTU输尿管。COMPASS包括三个阶段：(1)自适应阈值提取和区域生长，(2)边缘轮廓提取和特征分析，(3)寻路和传播。74例患者的74次CTU扫描对114条输尿管进行了分割，输尿管内充满静脉造影剂。输尿管平均占据286张CT片（范围164 ~ 399，中位数301）。超过一半的输尿管有恶性或良性病变，部分输尿管壁因恶性而增厚。114个输尿管的起始点都是手动选择的，作为COMPASS的输入，初始化跟踪。在CTU中，输尿管的解剖知识指导寻路和分割。通过估计每个输尿管成功跟踪和分割的长度百分比，定量评估分割性能。114条输尿管中，75条（66%）输尿管完全节段（100%），99条（87%）输尿管节段长度≥70%，104条（91%）输尿管节段长度≥50%。先前，在没有模型引导入路的情况下，61（54%）条输尿管被完全分割（100%），80（70%）条输尿管被至少分割70%长度，96（84%）条输尿管被至少分割50%。COMPASS改善了输尿管的追踪，包括输尿管病变区域、壁增厚和管腔狭窄。
We are developing a computerized system for automated segmentation of ureters on CTU, as a critical component for computer-aided diagnosis of ureter cancer. A challenge for ureter segmentation is the presence of regions not well opacified with intravenous (IV) contrast. We propose a COmbined Model-guided Path-finding Analysis and Segmentation System (COMPASS) to track the ureters in CTU. COMPASS consists of three stages: (1) adaptive thresholding and region growing, (2) edge profile extraction and feature analysis, and (3) path-finding and propagation. 114 ureters, filled with IV contrast material, on 74 CTU scans from 74 patients were segmented. On average the ureter occupied 286 CT slices (range:164 to 399, median:301). More than half of the ureters contained malignant or benign lesions and some had ureter wall thickening due to malignancy. A starting point for each of the 114 ureters was selected manually, which served as an input to the COMPASS, to initialize the tracking. The path-finding and segmentation are guided by anatomical knowledge of the ureters in CTU. The segmentation performance was quantitatively assessed by estimating the percentage of the length that was successfully tracked and segmented for each ureter. Of the 114 ureters, 75 (66%) were segmented completely (100%), 99 (87%) were segmented through at least 70% of its length, and 104 (91%) were segmented at least 50%. Previously, without the model-guided approach, 61 (54%) ureters were segmented completely (100%), 80 (70%) were segmented through at least 70% of its length, and 96 (84%) were segmented at least 50%. COMPASS improved the ureter tracking, including regions across ureter lesions, wall thickening and the narrowing of the lumen.