Using the hough transform to segment ultrasound images of longitudinal and transverse sections of the carotid artery
Using the hough transform to segment ultrasound images of longitudinal and transverse sections of the carotid artery
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DOI：
10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2007.05.021
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发表时间：
2007-12-01
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Nikita, Konstantina S.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Golemati, Spyretta;Stoitsis, John;Nikita, Konstantina S.
从超声图像中自动分割动脉管腔是临床诊断中的一项重要任务。在本文中，Hough变换（HT）被用来自动提取直线和圆从序列的B型超声图像的纵向和横向截面，分别，颈动脉。在10名正常受试者中，基于HT的分割的特异性和准确性平均高于0.96，而纵向的敏感性高于0.96，横向的敏感性高于0.82。内膜中层厚度（IMT）也估计从图像的纵向截面;相应的验证参数一般高于0.90。为了进一步验证结果，动脉扩张波形（ADW）估计从序列的图像使用HT技术以及运动分析使用块匹配（BM）。在纵切面上，使用HT和BM的舒张期和收缩期直径以及相对直径变化无显著差异。在横截面上，使用HT技术的舒张期和收缩期直径显著较低;差异<7%。横截面的相对直径变化与BM估计的无显著差异。HT技术也被应用于4个主题与动脉粥样硬化，其中的敏感性，特异性和准确性与正常受试者的敏感性，在横截面的低值可能反映偏离的圆形模型，因为斑块的存在。总之，HT技术提供了一种可靠的方法来分割超声图像的颈动脉，并可用于临床实践中估计指标的动脉壁的生理，如IMT和ADW。（电子邮件：knikita@cc.ece.ntua.gr）（c）2007年世界医学和生物学超声联合会。
Automatic segmentation of the arterial lumen from ultrasound images is an important task in clinical diagnosis. In this paper, the Hough transform (HT) was used to automatically extract straight lines and circles from sequences of B-mode ultrasound images of longitudinal and transverse sections, respectively, of the carotid artery. In 10 normal subjects, the specificity and accuracy of HT-based segmentation were on average higher than 0.96 for both sections, whereas the sensitivity was higher than 0.96 in longitudinal and higher than 0.82 in transverse sections. The intima-media thickness (IMT) was also estimated from images of longitudinal sections; the corresponding validation parameters were generally higher than 0.90. To further validate the results, arterial distension waveforms (ADW) were estimated from sequences of images using the HT technique as well as motion analysis using block matching (BM). In longitudinal sections, diastolic and systolic diameters and relative diameter changes using HT and BM were not significantly different. In transverse sections, diastolic and systolic diameters were significantly lower using the HT technique; the differences were < 7%. Relative diameter changes in transverse sections were not significantly different from BM-estimated ones. The HT technique was also applied to four subjects with atherosclerosis, in which sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were comparable to those of normal subjects; the low values of sensitivity in transverse sections may reflect departure from the circular model because of the presence of plaque. In conclusion, the HT technique provides a reliable way to segment ultrasound images of the carotid artery and can be used in clinical practice to estimate indices of arterial wall physiology, such as the IMT and the ADW. (E-mail: knikita@cc.ece.ntua.gr) (c) 2007 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.