Real-time 4D ultrasound mosaicing and visualization

A review of GPU-based medical image reconstruction

Tomographic image reconstruction is a computationally demanding task, even more so when advanced models are used to describe a more complete and accurate picture of the image formation process. Such advanced modeling and reconstruction algorithms can lead to better images, often with less dose, but at the price of long calculation times that are hardly compatible with clinical workflows. Fortunately, reconstruction tasks can often be executed advantageously on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), which are exploited as massively parallel computational engines. This review paper focuses on recent developments made in GPU-based medical image reconstruction, from a CT, PET, SPECT, MRI and US perspective. Strategies and approaches to get the most out of GPUs in image reconstruction are presented as well as innovative applications arising from an increased computing capacity. The future of GPU-based image reconstruction is also envisioned, based on current trends in high-performance computing.

Spatiotemporal registration of multiple three-dimensional echocardiographic recordings for enhanced field of view imaging

The use of three-dimensional (3-D) echocardiography is limited by signal dropouts and narrow field of view. Data compounding is proposed as a solution to overcome these limitations by combining multiple 3-D recordings to form a wide field of view. The first step of the solution requires registration between the recordings both in the spatial and temporal dimension for dynamic organs such as the heart. Accurate registration between the individual echo recordings is crucial for the quality of compounded volumes. A temporal registration method based on a piecewise one-dimensional cubic B-spline in combination with multiscale iterative Farnebäck optic flow method for spatial registration was described. The temporal registration method was validated on in vivo data sets with annotated timing of mitral valve opening. The spatial registration method was validated using in vivo data and compared to registration with Procrustes analysis using manual contouring as a benchmark. The spatial accuracy was assessed in terms of mean of absolute distance and Hausdorff distance between the left ventricular contours. The results showed that the temporal registration accuracy is in the range of half the time resolution of the echo recordings and the achieved spatial accuracy of the proposed method is comparable to manual registration.

Compensation for Unconstrained Catheter Shaft Motion in Cardiac Catheters

Cardiac catheterization with ultrasound (US) imaging catheters provides real time US imaging from within the heart, but manually navigating a four degree of freedom (DOF) imaging catheter is difficult and requires extensive training. Existing work has demonstrated robotic catheter steering in constrained bench top environments. Closed-loop control in an unconstrained setting, such as patient vasculature, remains a significant challenge due to friction, backlash, and physiological disturbances. In this paper we present a new method for closed-loop control of the catheter tip that can accurately and robustly steer 4-DOF cardiac catheters and other flexible manipulators despite these effects. The performance of the system is demonstrated in a vasculature phantom and an in vivo porcine animal model. During bench top studies the robotic system converged to the desired US imager pose with sub-millimeter and sub-degree-level accuracy. During animal trials the system achieved 2.0 mm and 0.65° accuracy. Accurate and robust robotic navigation of flexible manipulators will enable enhanced visualization and treatment during procedures.

Spatial calibration of a 2D/3D ultrasound using a tracked needle

Purpose

Spatial calibration between a 2D/3D ultrasound and a pose tracking system requires a complex and time-consuming procedure. Simplifying this procedure without compromising the calibration accuracy is still a challenging problem.

Method

We propose a new calibration method for both 2D and 3D ultrasound probes that involves scanning an arbitrary region of a tracked needle in different poses. This approach is easier to perform than most alternative methods that require a precise alignment between US scans and a calibration phantom.

Results

Our calibration method provides an average accuracy of 2.49 mm for a 2D US probe with 107 mm scanning depth, and an average accuracy of 2.39 mm for a 3D US with 107 mm scanning depth.

Conclusion

Our method proposes a unified calibration framework for 2D and 3D probes using the same phantom object, work-flow, and algorithm. Our method significantly improves the accuracy of needle-based methods for 2D US probes as well as extends its use for 3D US probes.

4D Ultrasound Tracking of Liver and its Verification for TIPS Guidance

In this work we describe a 4D registration method for on the fly stabilization of ultrasound volumes for improving image guidance for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) interventions. The purpose of the method is to enable a continuous visualization of the relevant anatomical planes (determined in a planning stage) in a free breathing patient during the intervention. This requires registration of the planning information to the interventional images, which is achieved in two steps. In the first step tracking is performed across the streaming input. An approximate transformation between the reference image and the incoming image is estimated by composing the intermediate transformations obtained from the tracking. In the second step a subsequent registration is performed between the reference image and the approximately transformed incoming image to account for the accumulation of error. The two step approach helps in reducing the search range and is robust under rotation. We additionally present an approach to initialize and verify the registration. Verification is required when the reference image (containing planning information) is acquired in the past and is not part of the (interventional) 4D ultrasound sequence. The verification score will help in invalidating the registration outcome, for instance, in the case of insufficient overlap or information between the registering images due to probe motion or loss of contact, respectively. We evaluate the method over thirteen 4D US sequences acquired from eight subjects. A graphics processing unit implementation runs the 4D tracking at 9 Hz with a mean registration error of 1.7 mm.

Instrument Tracking and Visualization for Ultrasound Catheter Guided Procedures

We present an instrument tracking and visualization system for intra-cardiac ultrasound catheter guided procedures, enabled through the robotic control of ultrasound catheters. Our system allows for rapid acquisition of 2D ultrasound images and accurate reconstruction and visualization of a 3D volume. The reconstructed volume addresses the limited field of view, an inherent problem of ultrasound imaging, and serves as a navigation map for procedure guidance. Our robotic system can track a moving instrument by continuously adjusting the imaging plane and visualizing the instrument tip. The overall instrument tracking accuracy is 2.2mm RMS in position and 0.8° in angle.

Structure propagation for image registration

Mosaicing is a commonly used technique in many medical imaging applications where subimages are stitched together in order to obtain a larger field of view. However, stitching, which involves alignment or registration in overlapping regions, is often challenging when the information shared by subimages is absent or small. While it is not possible to perform an alignment without overlap using existing techniques, imaging artifacts such as distortions towards image boundaries present further complications during registration by decreasing the reliability of available information. Without taking these into consideration, a registration approach might violate the continuity and the smoothness of structures across subimages. In this paper, we propose a novel registration approach for the stitching of subimages in such challenging scenarios. By using a perceptual grouping approach, we extend subimages beyond their boundaries by propagating available structures in order to obtain structural maps in the extended regions. These maps are then used to establish correspondences between subimages when the shared information is absent, small or unreliable. Using our approach ensures the continuity and the smoothness of structures across subimage boundaries. Furthermore, since only structures are used, the proposed method can also be used for the stitching of multi-modal images. Our approach is unique in that it also enables contactless stitching. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method by performing several experiments on synthetic and medical images. Moreover, we show how stitching is possible in the presence of a physical gap between subimages.

Enabling 3D Ultrasound Procedure Guidance through Enhanced Visualization

Real-time 3D ultrasound (3DUS) imaging offers improved spatial orientation information relative to 2D ultrasound. However, in order to improve its efficacy in guiding minimally invasive intra-cardiac procedures where real-time visual feedback of an instrument tip location is crucial, 3DUS volume visualization alone is inadequate. This paper presents a set of enhanced visualization functionalities that are able to track the tip of an instrument in slice views at real-time. User study with in vitro porcine heart indicates a speedup of over 30% in task completion time.