[Three-dimensional reconstruction calibrated with ultrasonographic images. Application to the measurement of clot volume in vitro].
OBJECTIVE
We used 3D ultrasonographic reconstruction with manual acquisition to study the volume of venous clots in vitro.


METHODS
Native 2D ultrasound slices were acquired free hand for 3D reconstruction. The spatial coordinates of each slice were delivered in real time with an electromagnetic captor. We applied a standard ultrasound protocol to test the calibrated 3D reconstruction quantitatively. The volume of 5 clots of increasing size was quantified in vitro using manual segmentation in a double-blind manner by two independent operators.


RESULTS
The comparison tests and the interoperator regression lines evidenced good agreement between real and measured volumes, confirming the coherence of the reconstruction protocol and the feasibility of this technique in a routine medical setting. Intraoperator variability was 7 to 11% and interoperator variability 16.9%.


CONCLUSIONS
This calibrated 3D reconstruction is compatible with in vitro measurement of venous clots. This technique could be useful to follow the evolution of the head of proximal deep vein thrombi in vivo. It will be more reliable with semi-automatic or even automatic segmentation becomes available.
Bressollette
L
L
Laboratoire du Traitement de l'Information Médicale (LATIM), EA 2218, CHU Morvan, 29609 Brest Cedex.
Guias
B
B
Pineau
P
P
Oger
E
E
Morin
V
V
Girard
F
F
Dauzat
M
M
D002138:Calibration; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015588:Observer Variation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology