title: Vascular Structure Identification in Intraoperative 3D Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Data.
abstract: In this paper, a method of vascular structure identification in intraoperative 3D Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) data is presented. Ultrasound imaging is commonly used in brain tumor surgery to investigate in real time the current status of cerebral structures. The use of an ultrasound contrast agent enables to highlight tumor tissue, but also surrounding blood vessels. However, these structures can be used as landmarks to estimate and correct the brain shift. This work proposes an alternative method for extracting small vascular segments close to the tumor as landmark. The patient image dataset involved in brain tumor operations includes preoperative contrast T1MR (cT1MR) data and 3D intraoperative contrast enhanced ultrasound data acquired before (3D-iCEUS(start) and after (3D-iCEUS(end) tumor resection. Based on rigid registration techniques, a preselected vascular segment in cT1MR is searched in 3D-iCEUS(start) and 3D-iCEUS(end) data. The method was validated by using three similarity measures (Normalized Gradient Field, Normalized Mutual Information and Normalized Cross Correlation). Tests were performed on data obtained from ten patients overcoming a brain tumor operation and it succeeded in nine cases. Despite the small size of the vascular structures, the artifacts in the ultrasound images and the brain tissue deformations, blood vessels were successfully identified.
authors.affiliation: Telematics (CA), Engineering Division (DICIS), University of Guanajuato, Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, Carr. Salamanca-Valle km 3.5 + 1.8, Com. Palo Blanco, Salamanca, Gto. 36885, Mexico. e.ilungambuyamba@ugto.mx.
authors.forename: Elisee
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ilunga-Mbuyamba
authors.affiliation: Telematics (CA), Engineering Division (DICIS), University of Guanajuato, Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, Carr. Salamanca-Valle km 3.5 + 1.8, Com. Palo Blanco, Salamanca, Gto. 36885, Mexico. avina@ugto.mx.
authors.forename: Juan Gabriel
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Avina-Cervantes
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany. Dirk.Lindner@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lindner
authors.affiliation: CONACYT Research-Fellow, Center for Research in Mathematics (CIMAT), A.C., Jalisco S/N, Col. Valenciana, Guanajuato, Gto. 36000, Mexico. ivan.cruz@cimat.mx.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cruz-Aceves
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany. Felix.arlt@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arlt
authors.affiliation: Innovation Center Computer Assisted Surgery (ICCAS), University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany. Claire.Chalopin@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chalopin
mesh_terms: D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: 3D-iCEUS; cT1MR; neurosurgery; vascular structure identification