title: CARES 3.0: a two stage system combining feature-based recognition and edge-based segmentation for CIMT measurement on a multi-institutional ultrasound database of 300 images.
abstract: The intima-media thickness of the carotid artery (CIMT) is a validated marker of atherosclerosis. Accurate CIMT measurement can be performed by specifically designed computer algorithms. We improved a previous CIMT measurement technique by introducing a smart heuristic search for the lumen-intima (LI) and media-adventitia (MA) interfaces of the carotid distal wall. We called this new release as CARES 3.0 (a class of AtheroEdge™ system, a patented technology from Global Biomedical Technologies, Inc., CA, USA). CARES 3.0 is completely automated and adopts an integrated approach for carotid location in the image frame, followed by segmentation based on edge snapper and heuristic search. CARES 3.0 was benchmarked against three other techniques on a 300 image multi-institutional database. One of the techniques was user-driven. The CARES 3.0 CIMT measurement bias was -0.021 ± 0.182 mm, which was better than that of the semi automated method (-0.036 ± 0.183 mm). CARES 3.0 outperformed the other two fully automated methods. The Figure-of-Merit of CARES 3.0 was 97.4%, better than that of the semi-automated technique (95.4%).
authors.affiliation: BioLab, Department of Electronics, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy. filippo.molinari@polito.it
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Molinari
authors.forename: Kristen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Meiburger
authors.forename: U Rajendra
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Paulo S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicolaides
authors.forename: Jasjit S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suri
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003535:Cyprus; D016208:Databases, Factual; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007558:Italy; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity