A Computer-Assisted System for Diagnostic Workstations: Automated Bone Labeling for CT Images |
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Authors: | Satoru Furuhashi Katsumi Abe Motoichiro Takahashi Takuya Aizawa Takashi Shizukuishi Masakuni Sakaguchi Toshiya Maebayashi Ikue Tanaka Mitsuhiro Narata Yasuo Sasaki |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Radiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi kami-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan;(2) Department of Radiology, Iwate Prefectural Central Hospital, 1-4-1 Ueda, Morioka Iwate, 020-0066, Japan; |
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Abstract: | Although accurate information on thoracolumbar bone structure is essential when computed tomography (CT) images are examined,
there is no automated method of labeling all the vertebrae and ribs on a CT scan. We are developing a computer-aided diagnosis
system that labels ribs and thoracolumbar vertebrae automatically and have evaluated its accuracy. A candidate bone was extracted
from the CT image volume data by pixel thresholding and connectivity analysis. All non-bony anatomical structures were removed
using a linear discriminate of distribution of CT values and anatomical characteristics. The vertebrae were separated from
the ribs on the basis of their distances from the centers of the vertebral bodies. Finally, the thoracic cage and lumbar vertebrae
were extracted, and each vertebra was labeled with its own anatomical number by histogram analysis along the craniocaudal
midline. The ribs were labeled in a similar manner, based on location data. Twenty-three cases were used for accuracy comparison
between our method and the radiologist’s. The automated labeling of the thoracolumbar vertebrae was concordant with the judgments
of the radiologist in all cases, and all but the first and second ribs were labeled correctly. These two ribs were frequently
misidentified, presumably because of pericostal anatomical clutter or high densities of contrast material in the injected
veins. We are confident that this system can contribute usefully as part of a picture archiving and communication system workstation,
though further technical improvement is required for identification of the upper ribs. |
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