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Margaretha Nievergeld AH, Maas EJ, de Ruijter J, Cornelia Fonken JH, Henricus Maria van Sambeek MR, Paulus Lopata RG. Automatic Segmentation and Mechanical Characterisation of the Intraluminal Thrombus and Arterial Wall of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Using Time Resolved 3D Ultrasound Images. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2023; 66:418-427. [PMID: 36963747 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2023.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study proposed a method for semi-automatic segmentation of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and their intraluminal thrombus (ILT), based on time resolved 3D ultrasound (US), and validated results with computed tomography (CT). Mechanical properties of both wall and ILT were determined, and possible correlations with ILT size and blood pressure were investigated. METHODS A semi-automatic segmentation algorithm was developed combining a star-Kalman approach with a 3D snake algorithm. The segmented geometries of both lumen and inner vessel wall were validated with both manual US based segmentations and CT based segmentations. Finally, the lumen and vessel wall distensibility and ILT compressibility were estimated and correlated with ILT size and blood pressure. RESULTS For the vessel wall and lumen, the median Similarity Index (SI) was 92% (IQR 90, 94%) and 83% (IQR 75, 87%), respectively. The distensibility of the vessel wall could be determined in 37 of 40 cases and had a median value of 0.28 10-5 Pa-1 (IQR 0.18, 0.51 ×10-5). The median systolic to diastolic volume change of the ILT was determined successfully in 21 of 40 patients, and was -0.57% (IQR -1.1, 1.2%). The vessel and lumen distensibility showed a strong correlation with the systolic pressure (p < .010), rather than with the diastolic pressure. Lumen distensibility was strongly correlated with ILT thickness (p = .023). The performance of the semi-automatic segmentation algorithm was shown to be as good as the manual segmentations and highly dependent on the visibility of the ILT (limited contrast in seven patients and clutter in nine patients). CONCLUSION This study has shown promising results for mechanical characterisation of the vessel, and ILT, including a correlation between distensibility, ILT size, and blood pressure. For future work, the inclusion rate needs to be increased by improving the image contrast with novel US techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjet Helena Margaretha Nievergeld
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Department of Vascular Surgery, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
| | - Esther Jorien Maas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Department of Vascular Surgery, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Joerik de Ruijter
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Judith Helena Cornelia Fonken
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Department of Vascular Surgery, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Marcus Rodolph Henricus Maria van Sambeek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Department of Vascular Surgery, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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Zottola ZR, Kong DS, Medhekar AN, Frye LE, Hao SB, Gonring DW, Hirad AA, Stoner MC, Richards MS, Mix DS. Intermediate pressure-normalized principal wall strain values are associated with increased abdominal aortic aneurysmal growth rates. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1232844. [PMID: 37719977 PMCID: PMC10501562 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1232844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Current abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) assessment relies on analysis of AAA diameter and growth rate. However, evidence demonstrates that AAA pathology varies among patients and morphometric analysis alone is insufficient to precisely predict individual rupture risk. Biomechanical parameters, such as pressure-normalized AAA principal wall strain (ε ρ + ¯ /PP, %/mmHg), can provide useful information for AAA assessment. Therefore, this study utilized a previously validated ultrasound elastography (USE) technique to correlate ε ρ + ¯ /PP with the current AAA assessment methods of maximal diameter and growth rate. Methods Our USE algorithm utilizes a finite element mesh, overlaid a 2D cross-sectional view of the user-defined AAA wall, at the location of maximum diameter, to track two-dimensional, frame-to-frame displacements over a full cardiac cycle, using a custom image registration algorithm to produce ε ρ + ¯ /PP. This metric was compared between patients with healthy aortas and AAAs (≥3 cm) and compared between small and large AAAs (≥5 cm). AAAs were then separated into terciles based on ε ρ + ¯ /PP values to further assess differences in our metric across maximal diameter and prospective growth rate. Non-parametric tests of hypotheses were used to assess statistical significance as appropriate. Results USE analysis was conducted on 129 patients, 16 healthy aortas and 113 AAAs, of which 86 were classified as small AAAs and 27 as large. Non-aneurysmal aortas showed higher ε ρ + ¯ /PP compared to AAAs (0.044 ± 0.015 vs. 0.034 ± 0.017%/mmHg, p = 0.01) indicating AAA walls to be stiffer. Small and large AAAs showed no difference in ε ρ + ¯ /PP. When divided into terciles based on ε ρ + ¯ /PP cutoffs of 0.0251 and 0.038%/mmHg, there was no difference in AAA diameter. There was a statistically significant difference in prospective growth rate between the intermediate tercile and the outer two terciles (1.46 ± 2.48 vs. 3.59 ± 3.83 vs. 1.78 ± 1.64 mm/yr, p = 0.014). Discussion There was no correlation between AAA diameter and ε ρ + ¯ /PP, indicating biomechanical markers of AAA pathology are likely independent of diameter. AAAs in the intermediate tercile of ε ρ + ¯ /PP values were found to have nearly double the growth rates than the highest or lowest tercile, indicating an intermediate range of ε ρ + ¯ /PP values for which patients are at risk for increased AAA expansion, likely necessitating more frequent imaging follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R. Zottola
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Daniel S. Kong
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Ankit N. Medhekar
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Lauren E. Frye
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Scarlett B. Hao
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Dakota W. Gonring
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Adnan A. Hirad
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Michael C. Stoner
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Michael S. Richards
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Doran S. Mix
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
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Bracco MI, Broda M, Lorenzen US, Florkow MC, Somphone O, Avril S, Biancolini ME, Rouet L. Fast strain mapping in abdominal aortic aneurysm wall reveals heterogeneous patterns. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1163204. [PMID: 37362444 PMCID: PMC10285457 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1163204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Abdominal aortic aneurysm patients are regularly monitored to assess aneurysm development and risk of rupture. A preventive surgical procedure is recommended when the maximum aortic antero-posterior diameter, periodically assessed on two-dimensional abdominal ultrasound scans, reaches 5.5 mm. Although the maximum diameter criterion has limited ability to predict aneurysm rupture, no clinically relevant tool that could complement the current guidelines has emerged so far. In vivo cyclic strains in the aneurysm wall are related to the wall response to blood pressure pulse, and therefore, they can be linked to wall mechanical properties, which in turn contribute to determining the risk of rupture. This work aimed to enable biomechanical estimations in the aneurysm wall by providing a fast and semi-automatic method to post-process dynamic clinical ultrasound sequences and by mapping the cross-sectional strains on the B-mode image. Specifically, the Sparse Demons algorithm was employed to track the wall motion throughout multiple cardiac cycles. Then, the cyclic strains were mapped by means of radial basis function interpolation and differentiation. We applied our method to two-dimensional sequences from eight patients. The automatic part of the analysis took under 1.5 min per cardiac cycle. The tracking method was validated against simulated ultrasound sequences, and a maximum root mean square error of 0.22 mm was found. The strain was calculated both with our method and with the established finite-element method, and a very good agreement was found, with mean differences of one order of magnitude smaller than the image spatial resolution. Most patients exhibited a strain pattern that suggests interaction with the spine. To conclude, our method is a promising tool for investigating abdominal aortic aneurysm wall biomechanics as it can provide a fast and accurate measurement of the cyclic wall strains from clinical ultrasound sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Irene Bracco
- Mines Saint-Étienne, University Jean Monnet, INSERM, Sainbiose, Saint-Étienne, France
- Philips Research Paris, Suresnes, France
| | - Magdalena Broda
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | - Stephane Avril
- Mines Saint-Étienne, University Jean Monnet, INSERM, Sainbiose, Saint-Étienne, France
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Fontanini DM, Huber M, Vecsey-Nagy M, Borzsák S, Csőre J, Sótonyi P, Csobay-Novák C. Pulsatile Changes of the Aortic Diameter May Be Irrelevant Regarding Endograft Sizing in Patients With Aortic Disease. J Endovasc Ther 2023:15266028231172368. [PMID: 37154393 DOI: 10.1177/15266028231172368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Endovascular aortic repair has become the preferred elective treatment of infrarenal aortic aneurysms. Aortic pulsatility may pose problems regarding endograft sizing. The aims of this study are to determine the aortic pulsatility in patients with aortic disease and to evaluate the effect of pulsatility on the growth of aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this retrospective study, analyses of computed tomography angiography (CTA) images of 31 patients under conservative treatment for small abdominal aortic aneurysms were performed. Reconstructions of the raw electrocardiography (ECG) gated dataset at 30% and 90% of the R-R cycle were used. After lumen segmentation, total aortic cross-sectional area was measured in diastole and systole in the following zones: Z0, Z3, Z5, Z6, Z8, and Z9. Effective diameters (EDs) were calculated from the systolic (EDsys) and diastolic (EDdia) cross-sectional areas to determine absolute (EDsys - EDdia, mm) and relative pulsatility [(EDsys - EDdia) / EDdia, %]. Diameter of the aneurysms was measured on baseline images and the last preoperative follow-up study of each patient. RESULTS A total of 806 measurements were completed, 24 pulsatility and 2 growth measurements per patient. The mean pulsatility values at each point were as follows: Z0: 0.7±0.8 mm, Z3: 1.0±0.6 mm, Z5: 1.0±0.6 mm, Z6: 0.8±0.7 mm, Z8: 0.7±1.0 mm, Z9: 0.9±0.9 mm. Follow-up time was 5.5±2.2 years during which a growth of 13.42±9.09 mm (2.54±1.55 mm yearly) was observed. No correlation was found between pulsatility values and growth rate of the aneurysms. CONCLUSION The pulsatility of the aorta is in a submillimetric range for the vast majority of patients with aortic disease, thus probably not relevant regarding endograft sizing. Pulsatility of the ascending aorta is smaller than that of the descending segment, making an additional oversize of a Z0 implantation questionable. CLINICAL IMPACT Endovascular aortic repair reqiures precise preoperative planning. Pulsatile changes of the aortic diameter may pose issues regarding endograft sizing. In our retrospective single-centre study, aortic pulsatility of patients with AAA was measured on ECG gated CTA images. Pulsatility values reached a maximum at the descending aorta, however absolute pulsatility values did not exceed 1 mm at any point along the aorta. Therefore, significance of aortic pulsatility regarding the sizing of EVAR prostheses is questionable. Correlation between pulsatility and AAA growth was not found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Mariastefano Fontanini
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Semmelweis Aortic Center, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Máté Huber
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Milán Vecsey-Nagy
- Semmelweis Aortic Center, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Sarolta Borzsák
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Semmelweis Aortic Center, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Csőre
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Sótonyi
- Semmelweis Aortic Center, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csaba Csobay-Novák
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Semmelweis Aortic Center, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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A systematic review summarizing local vascular characteristics of aneurysm wall to predict for progression and rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms. J Vasc Surg 2023; 77:288-298.e2. [PMID: 35843510 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE At present, the rupture risk prediction of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and, hence, the clinical decision making regarding the need for surgery, is determined by the AAA diameter and growth rate. However, these measures provide limited predictive information. In the present study, we have summarized the measures of local vascular characteristics of the aneurysm wall that, independently of AAA size, could predict for AAA progression and rupture. METHODS We systematically searched PubMed and Web of Science up to September 13, 2021 to identify relevant studies investigating the relationship between local vascular characteristics of the aneurysm wall and AAA growth or rupture in humans. A quality assessment was performed using the ROBINS-I (risk of bias in nonrandomized studies of interventions) tool. All included studies were divided by four types of measures of arterial wall characteristics: metabolism, calcification, intraluminal thrombus, and compliance. RESULTS A total of 20 studies were included. Metabolism of the aneurysm wall, especially when measured by ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide uptake, and calcification were significantly related to AAA growth. A higher intraluminal thrombus volume and thickness had correlated positively with the AAA growth in one study but in another study had correlated negatively. AAA compliance demonstrated no correlation with AAA growth and rupture. The aneurysmal wall characteristics showed no association with AAA rupture. However, the metabolism, measured via ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide uptake, but none of the other measures, showed a trend toward a relationship with AAA rupture, although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS The current measures of aortic wall characteristics have the potential to predict for AAA growth, especially the measures of metabolism and calcification. Evidence regarding AAA rupture is scarce, and, although more work is needed, aortic wall metabolism could potentially be related to AAA rupture. This highlights the role of aortic wall characteristics in the progression of AAA but also has the potential to improve the prediction of AAA growth and rupture.
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