Automated Vessel Segmentation in Dual Energy Computed Tomography Data of the Pelvis and Lower Extremities

Michael Kostrzewa; Nils Rathmann; Jürgen Hesser; Kurt Huck; Stefan O Schönberg; Steffen J Diehl

Automated Vessel Segmentation in Dual Energy Computed Tomography Data of the Pelvis and Lower Extremities

In Vivo. 2016;30(5):651-5.

Authors

Michael Kostrzewa¹, Nils Rathmann², Jürgen Hesser³, Kurt Huck⁴, Stefan O Schönberg², Steffen J Diehl²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany Michael.kostrzewa@umm.de.
² Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
³ Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine I, Cardiology/Angiology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.

PMID: 27566086

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the clinical feasibility of a newly developed, fully automatic vessel segmentation software with automatic structured bone elimination (ASBE) using graph-matching and subvoxel analysis.

Materials and methods: Dual energy computed tomography angiography (DECTA) data of 108 vessel segments were evaluated using the ASBE software and a commercial software against the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) standard of reference.

Results: Using the ASBE software, sensitivity increased from 87.1% to 96.8% and data concordance with DSA increased from 64.5% to 88.6%, whereas specificity slightly decreased (79.2% vs. 87%) compared to the commercial software. Data concordance between ASBE software and DSA was especially high in severely stenosed (grade of stenosis >75%) blood vessels.

Conclusion: ASBE showed good concordance with the DSA standard of reference and non-inferiority compared to the commercial segmentation software. The main advantage of the ASBE software lies in its full automation and, thus, lower susceptibility to user prone errors.

Keywords: Computed tomography; angiography; automatic structured bone elimination; dual energy; peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

MeSH terms

Angiography, Digital Subtraction*
Computed Tomography Angiography*
Constriction, Pathologic / diagnostic imaging
Constriction, Pathologic / pathology
Contrast Media
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Lower Extremity / diagnostic imaging*
Lower Extremity / pathology
Pelvis / diagnostic imaging*
Pelvis / pathology
Software

Substances

Contrast Media