Comparison of MRI- and CT-based semiautomated liver segmentation: a validation study.
To compare the repeatability, agreement, and efficiency of MRI- and CT-based semiautomated liver segmentation for the assessment of total and subsegmental liver volume.



This retrospective study was conducted in 31 subjects who underwent contemporaneous liver MRI and CT. Total and subsegmental liver volumes were segmented from contrast-enhanced 3D gradient-recalled echo MRI sequences and CT images. Semiautomated segmentation was based on variational interpolation and Laplacian mesh optimization. All segmentations were repeated after 2 weeks. Manual segmentation of CT images using an active contour tool was used as the reference standard. Repeatability and agreement of the methods were evaluated with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. Total interaction time was recorded.



Intra-reader ICC were ≥0.987 for MRI and ≥0.995 for CT. Intra-reader repeatability was 30 ± 217 ml (bias ± 1.96 SD) (95% limits of agreement: -187 to 247 ml) for MRI and -10 ± 143 ml (-153 to 133 ml) for CT. Inter-method ICC between semiautomated and manual volumetry were ≥0.995 for MRI and ≥0.986 for CT. Inter-method segmental ICC varied between 0.584 and 0.865 for MRI and between 0.596 and 0.890 for CT. Inter-method agreement was -14 ± 136 ml (-150 to 122 ml) for MRI and 50 ± 226 ml (-176 to 276 ml) for CT. Inter-method segmental agreement ranged from 10 ± 47 ml (-37 to 57 ml) to 2 ± 214 ml (-212 to 216 ml) for MRI and 9 ± 45 ml (-36 to 54 ml) to -46 ± 183 ml (-229 to 137 ml) for CT. Interaction time (mean ± SD) was significantly shorter for MRI-based semiautomated segmentation (7.2 ± 0.1 min, p < 0.001) and for CT-based semiautomated segmentation (6.5 ± 0.2 min, p < 0.001) than for CT-based manual segmentation (14.5 ± 0.4 min).



MRI-based semiautomated segmentation provides similar repeatability and agreement to CT-based segmentation for total liver volume.
Department of Radiology, Radio-oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Luc Hospital, 1058 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2X 3J4, Canada.|Department of Radiology, McGill University, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC, H3G 1A4, Canada.
Akshat
A
Gotra
Imaging and Orthopaedics Research Laboratory (LIO), École de Technologie Supérieure, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada.
Gabriel
G
Chartrand
Department of Radiology, Radio-oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Luc Hospital, 1058 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2X 3J4, Canada.
Kim-Nhien
KN
Vu
Department of Hepato-biliary and Pancreatic Surgery, University of Montreal, Saint-Luc Hospital, 1058 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2X 3J4, Canada.
Franck
F
Vandenbroucke-Menu
Department of Radiology, Radio-oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Luc Hospital, 1058 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2X 3J4, Canada.
Karine
K
Massicotte-Tisluck
Imaging and Orthopaedics Research Laboratory (LIO), École de Technologie Supérieure, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada.
Jacques A
JA
de Guise
Department of Radiology, Radio-oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Luc Hospital, 1058 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2X 3J4, Canada. an.tang@umontreal.ca.|Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada. an.tang@umontreal.ca.
An
0000-0001-8967-5503
A
Tang
D003287:Contrast Media; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine
Agreement; CT; Liver volume; MRI; Repeatability; Semiautomated segmentation