gms | German Medical Science

56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)
3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V.
Société Française de Neurochirurgie

07. bis 11.05.2005, Strasbourg

Enhanced segmentation and visualization of blood vessels based on CT-angiography

Fortgeschrittene Segmentierung und Visualisierung von Blutgefässen basierend auf der CT-Angiographie

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author D. Freudenstein - Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen
  • Río A. del - Forschungsgruppe Visuelle, Computergestützte Medizin, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen
  • D. Bartz - Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen
  • A. Gharabaghi - Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen
  • S. Danz - Abteilung für Neuroradiologie, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen
  • F. Dammann - Allgemeine Radiologie - Radiologische Klink, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen
  • M. Tatagiba - Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Société Française de Neurochirurgie. 56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC). Strasbourg, 07.-11.05.2005. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2005. Doc10.05.-15.06

Die elektronische Version dieses Artikels ist vollständig und ist verfügbar unter: http://www.egms.de/de/meetings/dgnc2005/05dgnc0168.shtml

Veröffentlicht: 4. Mai 2005

© 2005 Freudenstein et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Text

Objective

Current CT scanners provide high resolution three-dimensional (3D) data. Despite the improved accuracy of scanned data, a reliable visualization of blood vessels in the immediate vicinity of bony structures like the scull base is still a challenge in many situations. The authors present a simple and efficient segmentation algorithm providing a fast and accurate insight of blood vessels and bone structures.

Methods

The segmentation pipeline is composed of (1) threshold segmentation, (2) distance field computation, (3) path search and (4) false connection removal. The scanned volume is binary segmented into bone and blood vessels on the one hand, and soft tissue and air on the other. The binary volume is processed to compute a distance field. This results in a value for each voxel corresponding to the distance from the given voxel to the closest boundary. Within the distance field volume, a path is searched that maximizes the distance to the boundaries. Finally, oblique cross-sections are computed along the obtained path. Those points where a minimum cross-section is found are identified as most likely false connection points and therefore removed.

Results

After segmentation of blood vessels and bone structures, they can be visualized in 3D using indirect volume rendering. The compound result can be directly displayed on the screen, or exported to a file in several standard 3D formats for further use during diagnostic or intraoperative procedures. The results show that false connections between vessel and bone structures are satisfactorily removed, thus providing a more accurate and reliable 3D data representation.

Conclusions

A new solution for optimised visualization of blood vessels in CT angiography is presented. The proposed method consists in a simple segmentation algorithm, which combined with indirect volume rendering allows an efficient analysis of CT angiography data in a 3D environment.