Abstract
The fully automated and relatively accurate method of brain tissues segmentation on Т2-weighted magnetic resonance perfusion images is proposed. Segmentation with this method provides a possibility to obtain perfusion region of interest in images with abnormal brain anatomy that is very important for perfusion analysis. In the proposed method the result is presented as a binary mask, which marks two regions: brain tissues pixels with unity values and skull, extracranial soft tissue and background pixels with zero values. The binary mask is produced based on the location of boundary between two studied regions. Each boundary point is detected with CUSUM filter as a change point for iteratively accumulated points at time of moving on a sinusoidal-like path along the boundary from one region to another. The evaluation results for 20 clinical cases showed that proposed segmentation method could significantly reduce the time and efforts required to obtain desirable results for perfusion region of interest detection on Т2-weighted magnetic resonance perfusion images with abnormal brain anatomy.
Highlights
Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has already been widely used for the management of patients with brain tumors and cerebrovascular diseases, such as vascular stenosis or stroke [1,2,3]
̶ to develop an algorithm for path planning with specific movements pattern along the boundary between two regions: one region is specified with brain tissues pixels and the other one with skull, extracranial soft tissues and background pixels;
In order to evaluate the proposed method, the results of brain tissues segmentation were compared with a reference standard, which is the manually marked brain perfusion region of interest (ROI) by two experienced radiologists in perfusion MR imaging
Summary
Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has already been widely used for the management of patients with brain tumors and cerebrovascular diseases, such as vascular stenosis or stroke [1,2,3]. DSC exam output is a series of T2 weighted images acquired before, during, and after iodinated contrast agent injection into the vascular system. This time-sequence data reflect local changes in perfusion tissue characteristics. The results of DSC perfusion exam can be used both for quantitative estimation of perfusion characteristics as well as visual assessment of tissue perfusion It is visualization of perfusion characteristics on the so-called perfusion maps that serves to detect regions with potential perfusion lesions and determine a diagnosis. Brain lesions can be poorly visualized on perfusion maps due to the low contrast between the lesion and surrounding tissues. The important step of DSC perfusion analysis is pre-processing of time-sequence data through brain tissues segmentation and binary mask creation for so-called perfusion region of interest (ROI) [4,5,6,7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
