Robustness to noise of arterial blood flow estimation methods in CT perfusion

BMC Research Notes

Mario Cesarelli²  Francesco Fiore¹  Paolo Bifulco²  Michela D’Antò¹  Maria Romano² 

[1] National Cancer Institute “Pascale Foundation”, Naples, Italy;Interuniversity Centre of Bioengineering of the Human Neuromusculoskeletal System, Rome, Italy

关键词: Noise robustness;    Dual-input one-compartment model;    Maximum slope method;    Liver perfusion;    Computed tomography (CT);   

Others  :  1130423
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-7-540

 received in 2014-07-27, accepted in 2014-08-01,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Perfusion CT is a technology which allows functional evaluation of tissue vascularity. Due to this potential, it is finding increasing utility in oncology. Although since its introduction continuous advances have interested CT technique, some issues have to be still defined, concerning both clinical and technical aspects. In this study, we dealt with the comparison of two widely employed mathematical models (dual input one compartment model – DOCM - and maximum slope – SM -) analyzing their robustness to the noise.

Methods

We carried out a computer simulation process to quantify effect of noise on the evaluation of an important perfusion parameter (Arterial Blood Flow – BFa) in liver tumours. A total of 4500 liver TAC, corresponding to 3 fixed BFa values, were simulated using different arterial and portal TAC (computed from 5 real CT images) at 10 values of signal to noise ratio (SNR). BFa values were calculated by applying four different algorithms, specifically developed, to these noisy simulated curves. Three algorithms were developed to implement SM (one semiautomatic, one automatic and one automatic with filtering) and the last for the DOCM method.

Results

In all the simulations, DOCM provided the best results, i.e., those with the lowest percentage error compared to the reference value of BFa. Concerning SM, the results are variable. Results obtained with the automatic algorithm with filtering are close to the reference value, but only if SNR is higher than 50. Vice versa, results obtained by means of the semiautomatic algorithm gave, in all simulations, the lowest results with the lowest standard deviation of the percentage error.

Conclusions

Since the use of DOCM is limited by the necessity that portal vein is visible in CT scans, significant restriction for patients’ follow-up, we concluded that SM can be reliably employed. However, a proper software has to be used and an estimation of SNR would be carried out.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Romano et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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