Contrast of the therapeutic effect of CT/MRI image fusion technology and CT guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation of trigeminal semilunar ganglion / 安徽医科大学学报

Objective @#To evaluate the therapeutic effect of CT/MRI image fusion and usual CT guided percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation of trigeminal semilunar ganglion . @*Methods @#The medical information of 88 patients diagnosed with primary trigeminal neuralgia were assembled . In accordance with different imaging guidance means , they were equally divided into the control group ( trigeminal semilunar ganglion radiofrequency thermo coagulation with CT guidance ) and the fusion group ( trigeminal semilunar ganglion radiofrequency thermocoagula tion with assistance of CT/MRI image fusion technology) at random. The puncture time , intraoperative discomfort rate , preoperative , intraoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score , Barrow neurological insti tute (BNI) pain score and postoperative complication rate were contrasted . @*Results @#The puncture operation time of the fusion group was shorter than that of the control group (P < 0 05) ; the intraoperative and postoperative VAS and BNI scores , occurrence rate of intraoperative discomfort and postoperative complications in the fusion group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05) .@*Conclusion @#In respect of improving therapeutic effect and diminishing intraoperative discomfort and postoperative complications , CT/MRI image fusion technique is superior to CT guidance .

Research progresses of 3D image fusion technology for guiding endovascular treatments of aortic lesions / 中国介入影像与治疗学

3D image fusion technology can fuse image data before and during interventional treatments with mediator of cone-beam CT and guide interventional operations,which might significantly improve the success rate of interventional treatment of aortic lesions and reduce radiation exposure,iodine contrast agent dosage and operation time,etc.The research progresses of 3D image fusion technology for guiding endovascular treatment of aortic lesions were reviewed in this article.

CT and MRI fusion based on generative adversarial network and convolutional neural networks under image enhancement / 生物医学工程学杂志

Aiming at the problems of missing important features, inconspicuous details and unclear textures in the fusion of multimodal medical images, this paper proposes a method of computed tomography (CT) image and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image fusion using generative adversarial network (GAN) and convolutional neural network (CNN) under image enhancement. The generator aimed at high-frequency feature images and used double discriminators to target the fusion images after inverse transform; Then high-frequency feature images were fused by trained GAN model, and low-frequency feature images were fused by CNN pre-training model based on transfer learning. Experimental results showed that, compared with the current advanced fusion algorithm, the proposed method had more abundant texture details and clearer contour edge information in subjective representation. In the evaluation of objective indicators, Q AB/F, information entropy (IE), spatial frequency (SF), structural similarity (SSIM), mutual information (MI) and visual information fidelity for fusion (VIFF) were 2.0%, 6.3%, 7.0%, 5.5%, 9.0% and 3.3% higher than the best test results, respectively. The fused image can be effectively applied to medical diagnosis to further improve the diagnostic efficiency.

Image fusion-based recurrence patterns and dosimetry after concurrent chemoradiotherapy for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To analyze the local recurrence patterns after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) through image fusion, and to explore the risk factors of local recurrence and its relationships with dosimetric indices.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted for 209 thoracic ESCC patients who received radical CCRT in Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University during 2016-2019. For the patients diagnosed as the local recurrence of esophageal lesions, their CT images were fused with the original planning CT images using image registration software to identify the recurrence sites. Through 1∶1 propensity score matching (PSM) of the clinal data of patients with local recurrence (the recurrence group, nbefore = 81, nafter = 62) and those without local recurrence (the recurrence-free group, nbefore = 128, nafter=62), the dose and volume parameters of the treatment plans for the two groups were compared. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox regression model to analyze the factors affecting the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results:All patients had 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates of 80.9%, 42.6%, and 33.0%, respectively, 1-, 3-, and 5-year PFS rates of 67.9%, 34.0%, and 27.9%, respectively, and 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS rates of 71.3%, 39.2%, and 30.5%, respectively. T stage, N stage, and radiation dose were independent prognostic factors for the OS, PFS, and RFS ( HR = 1.42-1.87, P < 0.05) of the patients, respectively. Among 68 patients with local recurrence, 62 cases (91.2%) suffered recurrence within the gross tumor volume (GTV). The dose and volume parameters of patients with local recurrence, such as GTV- D95%, clinical target volume (CTV)- D95%, GTV- D50%, CTV- D50%, and planning target volume (PTV)- D50%, GTV- V60, CTV- V60, and PTV- V60, were significantly lower than those of patients free from the local recurrence ( t=1.90-2.15, P < 0.05). Conclusions:Local recurrence of patients with thoracic ESCC after radical CCRT occurs mainly within the GTV. Increasing radiation doses may contribute to their survival benefits. The D50% for each target volume in the radiotherapy plan may be related to local recurrence, and it is necessary to conduct further research.

Quantitative index study on multi-modal image registration quality of pancreatic cancer / 肿瘤

Objective:To identify the anatomical landmarks with stable and consistent performance in both rigid and deformation registrations,and to investigate the feasibility that take them as the quantitative indexes for quantitative evaluation of multimodality image registration for pancreatic cancer in clinical practice. Methods:Twenty-five patients with pancreatic cancer were selected.Both the rigid and deformation registrations were performed between simulated CT and MRI T1-weighted images.Seven anatomical landmarks,which were left adrenal gland,portal vein,celiac trunk artery,superior mesenteric artery,lumbar vertebral body,inferior vena cava and abdominal aorta,were selected.The anatomical landmarks were marked on the simulated CT and the registered MRI,respectively.The distances between the geometric centers of each anatomical landmarks in two kinds of images were statistically analyzed.The Wilcoxon rank sum test was implemented to compare the differences between rigid and deformation registrations.In addition,the correlations between anatomical landmarks were analyzed as well. Results:The mean distances of centers for the seven anatomical markers under rigid registration ranged from 0.405 cm to 1.097 cm,while they ranged from 0.433 cm to 0.740 cm under deformation registration.There was no significant difference in the registration of anatomical markers between rigid and deformation registration,except the left adrenal gland.The registration differences of celiac trunk artery and abdominal aorta were of most stable in 25 patients.Correlation study showed that all anatomical markers except abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava were independent and significant. Conclusion:It is feasible to quantitatively evaluate the registration quality of multimodality image registration for pancreatic cancer by using anatomical landmarks.It is recommended to use celiac trunk artery and abdominal aorta as the anatomical markers in clinical procedure.They are both stable in rigid and deformation registration,and the correlation between them is low,with means they can be used as independent evaluation criteria.

Research progress of multimodal medical image fusion methods / 中国辐射卫生

In the current clinical diagnosis, medical images have become an important basis for diagnosis, and different modes of medical images provide different tissue information and functional information. Single-mode images can only provide single diagnostic information, by which difficult and complicated diseases cannot be diagnosed, and comprehensive and accurate diagnostic results can be obtained only with the help of multiple diagnostic information. The multimodal fusion technology fuses multiple modes of medical images into single-mode images, and thus the single-mode images contain complementary information between multiple modes of images, so that sufficient information for clinical diagnosis can be obtained in a single image. In this paper, the multimodal medical image fusion methods are sorted into two types, namely the traditional fusion method and the fusion method based on deep learning.

Electrocardiogram classification algorithm based on CvT-13 and multimodal image fusion / 生物医学工程学杂志

Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal is an important basis for the diagnosis of arrhythmia and myocardial infarction. In order to further improve the classification effect of arrhythmia and myocardial infarction, an ECG classification algorithm based on Convolutional vision Transformer (CvT) and multimodal image fusion was proposed. Through Gramian summation angular field (GASF), Gramian difference angular field (GADF) and recurrence plot (RP), the one-dimensional ECG signal was converted into three different modes of two-dimensional images, and fused into a multimodal fusion image containing more features. The CvT-13 model could take into account local and global information when processing the fused image, thus effectively improving the classification performance. On the MIT-BIH arrhythmia dataset and the PTB myocardial infarction dataset, the algorithm achieved a combined accuracy of 99.9% for the classification of five arrhythmias and 99.8% for the classification of myocardial infarction. The experiments show that the high-precision computer-assisted intelligent classification method is superior and can effectively improve the diagnostic efficiency of arrhythmia as well as myocardial infarction and other cardiac diseases.

Application value of three dimensional imaging fusion navigation system in laparoscopic pan-creatic surgery / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the application value of three dimensional (3D) imaging fusion navigation system (hereinafter referred as navigation system) in laparoscopic pan-creatic surgery.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical data of two volunteers, including volunteer 1 undergoing laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy for cholangiocarcinoma and volunteer 2 undergoing laparoscopic pancreaticotomy + splenectomy for pancreatic cancer, who were admitted to the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from December 2020 to May 2021 were collected. The 2 volunteers were females, aged 68 years and 40 years, respectively. The self-developed navigation system was applied in laparoscopic simulator model test, including in rigid-body model and prosthesis model, and clinical test. Observation indicators: (1) results of model test; (2) results of clinical test. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD. Results:(1) Results of model test. The rigid-body model or prosthesis model with occlusion can be seen in the laparoscopic visual field of the initial laparoscopic simulator. The rigid-body model or prosthesis model with occlusion and rigid-body model or prosthesis model without occlusion can be seen in the 3D visual reconstruction image of enhanced computer tomography (CT) examination. The rigid-body model or prosthesis model with occlusion can be seen in the laparoscopic visual field of the initial laparoscopic simulator after the 3D visual reconstruction image was superimposed and fused with the real-time laparoscopic image. Both of the rigid-body model and prosthesis model were in high consistency, with the distance error of marker points were (0.26±0.11)mm and (0.29±0.18)mm, respectively. (2) Results of clinical test. The abdominal organs and blood vessels with occlusion of the 2 volunteers can be seen in the initial laparoscopic visual field. The location of tumor, important organs and blood vessels can be seen in the navigation system using the 3D visual reconstruction image of enhanced CT examination. The location of tumor, important organs and important blood vessels can be seen in the laparoscopic visual field after the 3D visual reconstruction image was superimposed and fused with the real-time laparoscopic image. The distance error of marker points of the volunteer 1 was (1.36±0.57)mm and the distance error of marker points of the volunteer 2 was (1.24±0.33)mm.Conclusions:The self-developed navigation system can integrate the preoperative 3D visual reconstruction image of enhanced CT examination and the intraoperative real-time laparoscopic image with a good effect. The relationship between deep tissue and blood vessels which is not clarified in conventional laparoscopy can be shown in the navigation system assisted laparoscopic pancreatic surgery.

Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with contrast-enhanced ultrasound / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly prevalent tumor in China. It has an insidious onset, rapid progression, early recurrence and poor prognosis. Most patients are already in the middle and late stages when they are diagnosed and lose the best time for surgery. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of HCC is crucial for patients. In recent years, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) technology has been widely used in the diagnosis of liver diseases, especially in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC, which has an irreplaceable role. Meanwhile, the image fusion technology developed on the basis of CEUS can highlight the value of CEUS in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Current status and advances in ultrasound-guided thermal ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor in clinical practice, and image-guided thermal ablation is a radical treatment method for early-stage HCC and a method for palliative tumor reduction and combination with systematic therapy for advanced HCC. With the advantages of real-time imaging, accurate guiding, easy operation, portability, low cost, no radiation damage, and high efficiency, ultrasound plays an important role in preoperative planning, intraoperative guiding, postoperative evaluation, and long-term follow-up in thermal ablation for HCC. With the advances in ultrasound and imaging fusion technology and the development of functional imaging technology represented by photoacoustic imaging, ultrasound-guided thermal ablation is at the forefront of precision treatment of HCC, achieving long-lasting development and developing into a more minimally invasive, accurate, safe, and effective diagnostic and therapeutic mode.

Triple fusion PET/MRI in location of epileptogenic focus in patients with focal cortical dysplasia / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective:To explore the value of triple fusion positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI in location of epileptogenic focus in patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD).Methods:Three patients with refractory partial epilepsy, admitted to our hospital from December 2016 to June 2017, were chosen in our study. The raw MRI and PET images of these patients were processed using Freesurfer and FSL image processing softwares. After extraction and coregistration, precise PET/MRI fusion images were obtained; and the grey-white matter dividing line was highlighted on this fusion image to form triple-fusion images to observe the hypometabolic area and clarify the location.Results:Triple-fusion images of these 3 patients were acquired. In patient 1, a marked decrease in metabolism was noted in the gyrus region delineated by the gray-white matter boundary in the right cingulate gyrus. In patient 2, the area with slightly increased local signal in the right superior frontal gyrus (MRI FLAIR sequence) was the area with reduced metabolism. In patient 3, an area of local decreased metabolism was noted in the right cingulate gyrus. The preoperative evaluation of all 3 patients showed that the above areas were epileptic foci; the patients were followed up for 2 years after surgical resection, no clinical seizures occurred in all patients, and antiepileptic drugs were gradually stopped. All 3 patients were diagnosed as having FCD by postoperative pathology.Conclusion:Triple fusion PET/MRI is a powerful way to assist FCD diagnosis, especially for those FCD cases which are difficult to be diagnosed by other imaging methods, and has a potential clinical application value in epilepsy patients.

Value of preoperative multimodal image fusion 3D reconstruction technology in brain tumor surgery / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective:To explore the application value of preoperative multimodal image fusion 3D reconstruction technology in brain tumor surgery.Methods:The preoperative cranial CT and MR imaging data of 46 patients with brain tumors admitted to our hospital from October 2019 to September 2020 were collected. The image registration and fusion of above imaging data were performed by AW workstation software (GE company), and 3D reconstruction was performed to construct 3D digital anatomic image of brain tumor and its surrounding anatomic structure. Based on this, the surgical approach and surgical plan were designed, and its application value was evaluated by consistency grading.Results:The reconstructed 3D digital anatomical image could clearly show the size, location, shape of the tumors and the anatomical relationships between the tumors and surrounding structures, which was consistent with the original image before and during the surgery. Among the 46 patients, 43 were completely resected and 3 were partially resected. There were no approach-related complications after surgery. The application value of preoperative 3D image fusion was evaluated as 36 with outstanding value, 8 with value, and 2 without value.Conclusion:Preoperative multimodal image fusion 3D reconstruction technology can provide a large amount of visual information during brain tumor surgery, guide the choice of surgical approach and precise resection of tumors.

Intraoperative Computed Tomography Image Fusion for Orbital Blowout Fracture Reconstruction

ABSTRACT@#Intraoperative computed tomography (CT) has been previously described and acknowledged for its use in orbital blowout fracture reconstructions. We described a clinical case series managed by this technique combined with intraoperative image fusion for accuracy in orbital implant position. In total, eight patients who sustained a total number of 19 orbital wall fractures were described. From the total number of 19 blowout orbital fracture reconstructions comprised of medial and inferior (floor) orbital fractures, malposition was identified in a total of four orbital implants by using image fusion. All cases of implant malposition were immediately revised intraoperatively. Subsequent fusion was carried out to confirm whether the revision was satisfactorily achieved. We found that the intraoperative image fusion technique utilised to determine orbital implant position, especially at the posterior ledge, further augmented the role of intraoperative CT scanning. Image fusion conceptually provides an immediate, real-time, and objective solution for intraoperative image analysis and potentially eliminates problems with misaligned CT images. It also reduces the need for the surgeon to ‘eye-ball’ the CT images acquired or the need for additional intraoperative time, since the patient’s head orientation is always axially at random during the acquisition of the CT. Conventional methods for CT image assessment are subjected to one’s own interpretation and may introduce inconsistent or longer intraoperative decision-making. The technique facilitates intraoperative decision-making and reduces the risk of orbital implant malposition in orbital blowout fracture reconstructions. Hence, surgical complication in relation to orbital implant malposition in orbital blowout fracture management could be minimised. In addition, no further postoperative imaging is required.

Proceso para la fusión de neuroimágenes de Tomografía por Emisión de Positrones y Resonancia Magnética / Process for the fusion of Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance neuroimaging

En radiología se utilizan varias técnicas imagenológicas para el diagnóstico de enfermedades y la asistencia en intervenciones quirúrgicas con el objetivo de determinar la ubicación y dimensión exacta de un tumor cerebral. Técnicas como la Tomografía por Emisión de Positrones y la Resonancia Magnética permiten determinar la naturaleza maligna o benigna de un tumor cerebral y estudiar las estructuras del cerebro con neuroimágenes de alta resolución. Investigadores a nivel internacional han utilizado diferentes técnicas para la fusión de la Tomografía por Emisión de Positrones y Resonancia Magnética al permitir la observación de las características fisiológicas en correlación con las estructuras anatómicas. La presente investigación tiene como objetivo elaborar un proceso para la fusión de neuroimágenes de Tomografía por Emisión de Positrones y Resonancia Magnética. Para ello se definieron 5 actividades en el proceso y los algoritmos a utilizar en cada una, lo cual propició identificar los más eficientes para aumentar la calidad en el proceso de fusión. Como resultado se obtuvo un proceso de fusión de neuroimágenes basado en un esquema híbrido Wavelet y Curvelet que garantiza obtener imágenes fusionadas de alta calidad(AU)

In radiology, various imaging techniques are used for the diagnosis of diseases and assistance in surgical interventions with the aim of determining the exact location and dimension of a brain tumor. Techniques such as Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance can determine the malignant or benign nature of a brain tumor and study brain structures with high-resolution neuroimaging. International researchers have used different techniques for the fusion of Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance, allowing the observation of physiological characteristics in correlation with anatomical structures. The present research aims to develop a process for the fusion of neuroimaging of Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Five activities were defined in the process and the algorithms to be used in each one, which led identifying the most efficient ones to increase the quality in the fusion process. As a result, a neuroimaging fusion process was obtained based on a hybrid Wavelet and Curvelet scheme that guarantees high quality merged images(AU)

Nuevas tecnologías de imágenes para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de los aneurismas de aorta complejos / New Imaging Technologies for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Complex Aortic Aneurysms

RESUMEN La tecnología en imágenes desempeña un papel fundamental como guía en el tratamiento endovascular del aneurisma de aorta, especialmente en la aorta compleja toracoabdominal. Las salas quirúrgicas combinan imágenes de alta calidad con un entorno estéril y funcional, lo que permite, además de mejores resultados, una reducción del contraste a utilizar y la exposición a la radiación de pacientes y operadores. Esta presentación tiene como objetivo describir el uso actual de dicha tecnología, combinando angiotomografía y tomografía computarizada de haz cónico intraoperatoria, la "fusión"de imágenes y la ecografía intravascular, para guiar procedimientos y así mejorar la tasa de éxito intraoperatorio y reducir la necesidad de reintervenciones. Por otro lado, se describe un procedimiento para crear plantillas personalizadas 3D con las imágenes de alta definición de la anatomía arterial del paciente, que sirven como guías específicas para confeccionar en quirófano endoprótesis fenestradas. Estas plantillas de fenestración personalizadas podrían ampliar el número de pacientes con aneurismas complejos tratados en forma mínimamente invasiva.

ABSTRACT Imaging technology plays a key guiding role in the endovascular treatment of aortic aneurysms, especially in the complex thoracoabdominal aorta. The operating rooms combine high quality imaging with a sterile and functional environment, allowing for better outcomes, a reduction of the contrast agent to be used and of patients' and operators' exposure to radiation. The aim of this presentation is to describe the current use of imaging technology, combining intraoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and computed tomography angiography (CTA), image "fusion" and intravascular ultrasound, to guide the procedures and improve the intraoperative success rate, and to reduce the need for reinterventions. Furthermore, a procedure to create custom 3D templates with high definition images of the patient's arterial anatomy is described, which serve as specific guides for making fenestrated stent-grafts in the operating room. These custom fenestration templates could increase the number of patients with complex aneurysms treated with a minimally invasive approach.

Análisis y selección de técnicas para la fusión de imágenes PET/CT basado en software / Analysis and selection of techniques for the fusion of PET/CT imaging based on software

Técnicas como la Tomografía por Emisión de Positrones y la Tomografía Computarizada permiten determinar la naturaleza maligna o benigna de un tumor y estudiar las estructuras anatómicas del cuerpo con imágenes de alta resolución, respectivamente. Investigadores a nivel internacional han utilizado diferentes técnicas para la fusión de la Tomografía por Emisión de Positrones y la Tomografía Computarizada porque permite observar las funciones metabólicas en correlación con las estructuras anatómicas. La presente investigación se propone realizar un análisis y selección de algoritmos que propicien la fusión de neuroimágenes, basado en la precisión de los mismos. De esta forma contribuir al desarrollo de software para la fusión sin necesidad de adquirir los costosos equipos de adquisición de imágenes de alto rendimiento, los cuales son costosos. Para el estudio se aplicaron los métodos Análisis documental, Histórico lógico e Inductivo deductivo. Se analizaron e identificaron las mejores variantes de algoritmos y técnicas para la fusión según la literatura reportada. A partir del análisis de estas técnicas se identifica como mejor variante el esquema de fusión basado en Wavelet para la fusión de las imágenes. Para el corregistro se propone la interpolación Bicúbica. Como transformada discreta de Wavelet se evidencia el uso de la de Haar. Además, la investigación propició desarrollar el esquema de fusión basado en las técnicas anteriores. A partir del análisis realizado se constataron las aplicaciones y utilidad de las técnicas de fusión como sustitución a los altos costos de adquisición de escáneres multifunción PET/CT para Cuba(AU)

Techniques such as Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography allow to determine the malignant or benign nature of a tumor and to study the anatomical structures of the body with high resolution images, respectively. International researchers have used different techniques for the fusion of Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography because it allows observing metabolic functions in correlation with anatomical structures. The present investigation proposes to carry out an analysis and selection of algorithms that favor the fusion of neuroimaging, based on their precision. In this way, contribute to the development of fusion software without the need to purchase expensive high-performance imaging equipment, which is expensive. For the study the documentary analysis, logical historical and deductive inductive methods were applied. The best algorithm variants and techniques for fusion were analyzed and identified according to the reported literature. From the analysis of these techniques, the Wavelet-based fusion scheme for image fusion is identified as the best variant. Bicubic interpolation is proposed for co-registration. As a discrete Wavelet transform, the use of Haar's is evidenced. In addition, the research led to the development of the fusion scheme based on the previous techniques. From the analysis carried out, the applications and usefulness of fusion techniques were verified as a substitute for the high costs of acquiring PET / CT multifunction scanners for Cuba(AU)

Application of CT-MRI image fusion technology based on MIM software in accurate radiotherapy of glioma / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

Objective: To study the value of CT-MRI image fusion technique using MIM software in accurate radiotherapy of glioma. Methods: Thirty patients with glioma admitted to the Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, from October 2016 to December 2018 were selected for image fusion of CT and MRI using MIM software system image fusion function. After the fusion was completed, the same radiotherapy doctor performed the target area delineation of CT images and CT-MRI fusion images of each patient, used the same treatment planning system to make two different treatment plans for each patient, and compared the difference in target volume, the dosimetric difference in the target area and the dose difference in the organs at risk between the two groups of delineations. Results: The volumes of GTVCT, CTVCT and PTVCT delineated under CT images were significantly larger than those of GTVCT+MRI, CTVCT+MRI and PTVCT-MRI under CT-MRI fusion images (P<0.05). The maximum dose and mean dose of PTV in CT image group plan were higher than those in CT-MRI fusion image group plan (P<0.05). Except the right lens, right optic nerve, and right eyeball, the maximum dose and mean dose of OARs (brain stem, optic chiasm, pituitary, left optic nerve, left lens, and left eyeball) of CT image group plan were significantly greater than those of the CT-MRI fusion image group plan(P<0.05). Results: In the IMRT radiotherapy of glioma, the application of MIM software CT-MRI image fusion technology can improve the rationality and accuracy of target delineation and plan making, and can effectively reduce the radiation dose of normal tissues and improve the protection of normal tissues.

Multislice computed tomography/contrast-enhanced ultrasound image fusion as a tool for evaluating unclear renal cysts

Ultrasonography is a generally accepted imaging technique for diagnosing and monitoring cystic renal lesions. The widely used Bosniak classification (I-IV) categorizes renal cystic lesions into five distinctive groups according to ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) image criteria. For solid renal lesions, determination of vascularity is discriminatory for malignancy in most instances. In indeterminate cases, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and magnetic resonance imaging/CT-ultrasound image fusion are able to detect and characterize difficult pathologies, with superior performance to either technique alone. In contrast to multislice CT (MS-CT), ultrasound image fusion is a real-time imaging technique that can be used in combination with other cross-sectional imaging modalities. This technical note describes state-of-the-art image fusion of CEUS and MS-CT to detect and characterize unclear renal pathologies.

Comparison in precision of image registration between MRI simulation and diagnostic MRI with CT simulation / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the precision of image registration between MRI simulation (MRIsim) and CT simulation compared to diagnostic MRI(MRIdiag) and to provide information for further application of MRIsim.@*Methods@#A total of 24 patients who underwent both MRIsim and MRIdiag were enrolled, including 8 patients with gliomas, 8 with nasopharyngeal carcinomas and 8 with prostate cancers. MRIsim and MRIdiag images of each patient were fused with CT. The OARs were delineated on three modalities of images and targets were delineated on fusion image of MRIsim with CT (F_CTMsim) and fusion image of MRIdiag with CT (F_CTMdiag) respectively. The concordance index (CI), Dice′s similarity coefficient (DSC) between the OARs and image similarity index (S) based on images from MRIsim, MRIdiag and CT were evaluated. IMRT plans were designed based targets on F_CTMsim and OARs on CT images, and differences in dosimetry of targets and OARs were evaluated subsequently.@*Results@#Volumes of most OAR from three modalities of images showed no statistically significant difference(P>0.05). All the CI and DSC between the OARs derived from MRIsim and CT were higher than those corresponding values from MRIdiag, and a statistically significant difference was achieved in 50% of these OARs (t=2.58-5.47, P<0.05). The S values of MRIsim and MRIdiag compared with CT were 0.89 and 0.83 respectively (t=5.77, P<0.05). MRIsim improved the S value by 10% (2%-56%) compared with MRIdiag. No further differences in dosimetry were found on all OARs and all targets(P>0.05).@*Conclusions@#The precision of image registration can be significantly improved by introducing MRIsim into radiotherapy planning design compared with MRIdiag. However, no significant differences in dosimetry were found on targets produced by rigid registration and manual adjustment method .

Methods of heart data based on ultrasound-CT cardiac image fusion / 中国医学影像技术

Objective: To obtain ultrasound-CT cardiac imaging fusion methods and test indicators by using multi-modal cardiac image fusion technology during animal experiment, and to verify the feasibility of this method with clinical experiment. Methods: For animal experiment, heart CT images and ultrasound heart valve volume images of 6 Beagle dogs were collected. The alignment points and the annulus planes were aligned using Mimics innovationsuite 19.0 and 3-Matic 11.0 software, and ultrasound heart valve images were fused to CT heart chamber, the registration index was measured in the fused image and the cardiac specimen. The index included the maximum diameter of anterior lateral combination (ALC) of mitral valve to apex (D-ALC), the posterior interior combination (PIC) of mitral valve to apex (D-PIC) and the aortic valve closure (AVC) to apex (D-AVC), and the angle between the plane of mitral annulus and aortic annulus (AMA). In clinical trials, 41 patients with atrial fibrillation underwent CT and transesophageal echocardiography. The images were processed in the same way, and the registration indexes were measured based on CT images and CT-ultrasound fusion images. Results: In animal experiment, the ultrasound-CT images were successfully registered. There was no significant difference in D-ALC, D-PIC, D-AVC nor AMA between the fusion image and the cardiac specimen (all P>0.05). In clinical trials, ultrasound-CT cardiac image fusion registration was successfully performed in all 41 patients. There was no significant difference of D-ALC, D-PIC, D-AVC nor AMA between clinical fusion images and clinical CT images (all P>0.05). After image fusion, 92.68% (38/41) of AMA difference was within 5°, and 87.80% (36/41) of D-ALC, D-PIC, D-AVC difference percentages were within 5%. Conclusion: Cardiac CT-ultrasound image fusion is feasible and accurate using the internal feature of the annulus as an anatomical landmark. The AMA and the distance between the annulus plane and the apex can be used as detection indexes for registration accuracy.