title: Automatic nuchal translucency measurement from ultrasonography.
abstract: This paper proposes a fully automatic approach for computing Nuchal Translucency (NT) measurement in an ultrasound scans of the mid-sagittal plane of a fetal head. This is an improvement upon current NT measurement methods which require manual placement of NT measurement points or user-guidance in semi-automatic segmentation of the NT region. The algorithm starts by finding the pose of the fetal head using discriminative learning-based detectors. The fetal head serves as a robust anchoring structure and the NT region is estimated from the statistical relationship between the fetal head and the NT region. Next, the pose of the NT region is locally refined and its inner and outer edge approximately determined via Dijkstra's shortest path applied on the edge-enhanced image. Finally, these two region edges are used to define foreground and background seeds for accurate graph cut segmentation. The NT measurement is computed from the segmented region. Experiments show that the algorithm efficiently and effectively detects the NT region and provides accurate NT measurement which suggests suitability for clinical use.
authors: ICV TF, Siemens Corporation, Corporate Technology, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA.
authors: JinHyeong
authors: J
authors: Park
authors: ICV TF, Siemens Corporation, Corporate Technology, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA.
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Sofka
authors: H CP US PLM, Siemens Limited Seoul, Bundang Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Korea.
authors: SunMi
authors: S
authors: Lee
authors: H CP US PLM, Siemens Limited Seoul, Bundang Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Korea.
authors: DaeYoung
authors: D
authors: Kim
authors: H CP US PLM, Siemens Limited Seoul, Bundang Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Korea.
authors: S Kevin
authors: SK
authors: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology*; D048208:Nuchal Translucency Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*