Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Fully Automated System for Three-Dimensional Bronchial Morphology Analysis Using Volumetric Multidetector Computed Tomography of the Chest

  • Published:
Journal of Digital Imaging Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recent advancements in computed tomography (CT) have enabled quantitative assessment of severity and progression of large airway damage in chronic pulmonary disease. The advent of fast multidetector computed tomography scanning has allowed the acquisition of rapid, low-dose 3D volumetric pulmonary scans that depict the bronchial tree in great detail. Volumetric CT allows quantitative indices of bronchial airway morphology to be calculated, including airway diameters, wall thicknesses, wall area, airway segment lengths, airway taper indices, and airway branching patterns. However, the complexity and size of the bronchial tree render manual measurement methods impractical and inaccurate. We have developed an integrated software package utilizing a new measurement algorithm termed mirror-image Gaussian fit that enables the user to perform automated bronchial segmentation, measurement, and database archiving of the bronchial morphology in high resolution and volumetric CT scans and also allows 3D localization, visualization, and registration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
€32.70 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (France)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. PA Grenier C Beigelman-Aubry C Fetita F Preteux MW Brauner S Lenoir (2002) ArticleTitleNew frontiers in CT imaging of airway disease Eur Radiol 12 1022–1044 Occurrence Handle11976844 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00330-002-1342-1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. TE Robinson AN Leung RB Moss FG Blankenberg H al-Dabbagh WH Northway (1999) ArticleTitleStandardized high-CT of the lung using a spirometer-triggered electron bean CT-scanner Roentgenology 172 1636–1638 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1M3nslyjug%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. M Suter J Tschirren J Reinhardt M Sonka E Hoffman W Higgins G McLennan (2004) ArticleTitleEvaluation of the human airway with multi-detector X-ray-computed tomography and optical imaging Physiol Meas 25 837–847 Occurrence Handle15382825 Occurrence Handle10.1088/0967-3334/25/4/005

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. PA Jong Particlede MD Ottink SG Robben MH Lequin WC Hop JJ Hendriks PD Pare HA Tiddens (2004) ArticleTitlePulmonary disease assessment in cystic fibrosis: comparison of CT scoring systems and value of bronchial and arterial dimension measurements Radiology 231 434–439 Occurrence Handle15064392

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. MH Bagheri SK Hosseini SH Mostafavi SA Alavi (2003) ArticleTitleHigh-resolution CT in chronic pulmonary changes after mustard gas exposure Acta Radiol 44 241–245 Occurrence Handle12751992 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3s3jtVaquw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1034/j.1600-0455.2003.00073.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. PA Grenier C Beigelman-Aubry C Fetita Y Martin-Bouyer (2003) ArticleTitleMultidetector-row CT of the airways Semin Roentgenol 38 146–157 Occurrence Handle12854438 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0037-198X(03)00017-8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Y Nakano S Muro H Sakai T Hirai K Chin M Tsukino K Nishimura H Itoh PD Pare JC Hogg M Mishima (2000) ArticleTitleComputed tomographic measurements of airway dimensions and emphysema in smokers. Correlation with lung function Am J Respir Crit Care Med 162 1102–1108 Occurrence Handle10988137 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3cvotFaitw%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Y Nakano JC Wong PA de Jong L Buzatu T Nagao HO Coxson WM Elliott JC Hogg PD Pare (2004) ArticleTitleThe prediction of small airway dimensions using computed tomography Am J Respir Crit Care Med 171 142–146 Occurrence Handle15516531 Occurrence Handle10.1164/rccm.200407-874OC

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. AA Bankier D Fleischmann R Mallek A Windisch FW Winkelbauer M Kontrus L Havelec CJ Herold P Hubsch (1996) ArticleTitleBronchial wall thickness: appropriate window settings for thin-section CT and radiologic–anatomic correlation Radiology 199 831–836 Occurrence Handle8638013 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BymB38%2FlsFU%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. GG King NL Muller KP Whittall QS Xiang PD Pare (2000) ArticleTitleAn analysis algorithm for measuring airway lumen and wall areas from high-resolution computed tomographic data Am J Respir Crit Care Med 161 574–580 Occurrence Handle10673202 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3c7otVaksw%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. GC Ooi PL Khong M Chan-Yeung JC Ho PK Chan JC Lee WK Lam KW Tsang (2002) ArticleTitleHigh-resolution CT quantification of bronchiectasis: clinical and functional correlation Radiology 225 663–672 Occurrence Handle12461244

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. SA Little MW Sproule MD Cowan KJ Macleod M Robertson JG Love GW Chalmers CP McSharry NC Thomson (2002) ArticleTitleHigh resolution computed tomographic assessment of airway wall thickness in chronic asthma: reproducibility and relationship with lung function and severity Thorax 57 247–253 Occurrence Handle11867830 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD387jt1artg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1136/thorax.57.3.247

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. H Gono K Fujimoto S Kawakami K Kubo (2003) ArticleTitleEvaluation of airway wall thickness and air trapping by HRCT in asymptomatic asthma Eur Respir J 22 965–971 Occurrence Handle14680087 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3srpvVakuw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1183/09031936.03.00085302

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. S Loncaric T Markovinovic (2000) ArticleTitleWeb-based virtual endoscopy Stud Health Technol Inform 77 1187–1191 Occurrence Handle11187510 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M7itleqsA%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. RM Summers DH Feng SM Holland MC Sneller JH Shelhamer (1996) ArticleTitleVirtual bronchoscopy: segmentation method for real-time display Radiology 200 857–862 Occurrence Handle8756944 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BymA2cjos1A%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. SA Wood JD Hoford EA Hoffman E Zerhouni W Mitzner (1995) ArticleTitleA method for measurement of cross sectional area, segment length, and branching angle of airway tree structures in situ Comput Med Imaging Graph 19 145–152 Occurrence Handle7736413 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByqB2MvksF0%3D Occurrence Handle10.1016/0895-6111(94)00034-4

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. D Aykac EA Hoffman G McLennan JM Reinhardt (2003) ArticleTitleSegmentation and analysis of the human airway tree from three-dimensional X-ray CT images IEEE Trans Med Imag 22 940–950 Occurrence Handle10.1109/TMI.2003.815905

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. AP Kiraly WE Higgins G McLennan EA Hoffman JM Reinhardt (2002) ArticleTitleThree-dimensional human airway segmentation methods for clinical virtual bronchoscopy Acad Radiol 9 1153–1168 Occurrence Handle12385510 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S1076-6332(03)80517-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. W Park EA Hoffman M Sonka (1998) ArticleTitleSegmentation of intrathoracic airway trees: a fuzzy logic approach IEEE Trans Med Imag 17 489–497 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1M%2FlvFCgug%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1109/42.730394

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. DS Paik CF Beaulieu RB Jeffrey GD Rubin S Napel (1998) ArticleTitleAutomated flight path planning for virtual endoscopy Med Phys 25 629–637 Occurrence Handle9608471 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1c3ntFequg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1118/1.598244

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. JM Reinhardt ND D'Souza EA Hoffman (1997) ArticleTitleAccurate measurement of intrathoracic airways IEEE Trans Med Imag 16 820–827 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1c7pt1altA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1109/42.650878

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. JA Brink JP Heiken DM Balfe SS Sagel J DiCroce MW Vannier CT Spiral (1992) ArticleTitleDecreased spatial resolution in vivo due to broadening of section sensitivity profile Radiology 185 469–474 Occurrence Handle1410356 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyD38bjtlU%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Aysin Turan, MD, Xiaorong Chen, MS, and Akbar Dastagir, MD, for help in processing patient datasets and for data management and statistical analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Raman Venkatraman M.B.A., B.S., Richard B. Moss M.D., Lawrence H. Mathers M.D., Ph.D & Terry E. Robinson M.D.

  2. Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Raghav Raman M.D., Bhargav Raman & Geoffrey D. Rubin M.D.

Authors
  1. Raman Venkatraman M.B.A., B.S.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Raghav Raman M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bhargav Raman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Richard B. Moss M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Geoffrey D. Rubin M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Lawrence H. Mathers M.D., Ph.D
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Terry E. Robinson M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Terry E. Robinson M.D..

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Venkatraman, R., Raman, R., Raman, B. et al. Fully Automated System for Three-Dimensional Bronchial Morphology Analysis Using Volumetric Multidetector Computed Tomography of the Chest. J Digit Imaging 19, 132–139 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10278-005-9240-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10278-005-9240-0

Key words

Search

Navigation