A preliminary study of three-dimensional ultrasound images automatic registration based on hepatic vessel / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) automatic image fusion based on hepatic vessel in clinical application.Methods Forty pairs of 3D ultrasound volumetric images from 10 healthy volunteers were acquired and enrolled in the study,including 10 pairs of each following lobe of the liverleft lateral lobe,left medial lobe,right anterior lobe and right posterior lobe.3DUS automatic registrations were performed based on hepatic vessel.The technical successful rate and accuracy of the image fusion using the 3DUS data from four hepatic lobes were observed and compared.Results Thirty-six pairs of volumetric data were successfully fused together by automatic registration.The technical successful rate was 90％ (36/40) and the registration error distance was 1.48 mm (0.98-2.76 mm).There were no statistical differences in the successful rate for the four different hepatic lobes (P =0.891),but the registration error of right anterior lobe was less than left lateral lobe of liver (P =0.014).Conclusions The new technology of 3DUS automatic registration based on hepatic vessel was feasible and reliable,and it has a wide prospect in future clinical application.