title: Vessel segmentation for ablation treatment planning and simulation.
abstract: In this paper, a novel segmentation method for liver vasculature is presented, intended for numerical simulation of radio frequency ablation (RFA). The developed method is a semiautomatic hybrid based on multi-scale vessel enhancement combined with ridge-oriented region growing and skeleton-based postprocessing. In addition, an interactive tool for segmentation refinement was developed. Four instances of three-phase contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) images of porcine liver were used in the evaluation. The results showed improved accuracy over common approaches and illustrated the method's suitability for simulation purposes.
authors.affiliation: Aalto University School of Science and Technology, Finland.
authors.forename: Tuomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alhonnoro
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pollari
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lilja
authors.forename: Ronan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flanagan
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kainz
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muehl
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mayrhauser
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Portugaller
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stiegler
authors.forename: Karlheinz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tscheliessnigg
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*