Lung Extraction, Lobe Segmentation and Hierarchical Region Assessment for Quantitative Analysis on High Resolution Computed Tomography Images

James C. Ross, R. San Jose Estepar, Alejandro D\'\iaz, C.-F. Westin, Ron Kikinis, Edwin K. Silverman, George R. Washko
Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention -- MICCAI 2009
Volume 5762, Pages 690-698
2009

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Abstract

Regional assessment of lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a critical component to accurate patient diagnosis. Software tools than enable such analysis are also important for clinical research studies. In this work, we present an image segmentation and data representation framework that enables quantitative analysis specific to different lung regions on high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) datasets. We present an offline, fully automatic image processing chain that generates airway, vessel, and lung mask segmentations in which the left and right lung are delineated. We describe a novel lung lobe segmentation tool that produces reproducible results with minimal user interaction. A usability study performed across twenty datasets (inspiratory and expiratory exams including a range of disease states) demonstrates the tool’s ability to generate results within five to seven minutes on average. We also describe a data representation scheme that involves compact encoding of label maps such that both “regions” (such as lung lobes) and “types” (such as emphysematous parenchyma ) can be simultaneously represented at a given location in the HRCT.

Reference

Ross JC, San Jose Estepar R, D\'{\i}az A, Westin CF, Kikinis R, Silverman EK, Washko GR. Lung extraction, lobe segmentation and hierarchical region assessment for quantitative analysis on high resolution computed tomography images. In GZ Yang, D Hawkes, D Rueckert, A Noble, C Taylor, eds., Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention - MICCAI 2009, volume 5762 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science. London, UK: Springer, 2009;690-698.

Bibtex entry

@InProceedings{rossMICCAI09,
  author         = {James C. Ross and Raul {San Jose Estepar} and Alejandro    
                   D\'{\i}az and Carl-Fredrik Westin and Ron Kikinis and Edwin 
                   K. Silverman and George R. Washko},                         
  title          = {Lung Extraction, Lobe Segmentation and Hierarchical Region 
                   Assessment for Quantitative Analysis on High Resolution     
                   Computed Tomography Images},                                
  booktitle      = {Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention 
                   -- MICCAI 2009},                                            
  pages          = {690--698},                                                 
  publisher      = {Springer},                                                 
  location       = {Heidelberg},                                               
  series         = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science},                        
  volume         = {5762},                                                     
  year           = {2009},                                                     
  address        = {London, UK},                                               
  editor         = {Guang-Zhong Yang and David Hawkes and Daniel Rueckert and  
                   Alison Noble and Chris Taylor}
}