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Liver volumetry plug and play: do it yourself with ImageJ
Simon A W G Dello1, Ronald M van Dam, Jules J G Slangen
1Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
World Journal of Surgery
|August 30, 2007
Summary
ImageJ software accurately measures liver volume using CT scans, providing a free tool for surgeons to predict post-liver surgery complications. This method is cost-effective and accessible for surgical planning.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Surgical Planning
- Radiology Software
Background:
- Small remnant liver volume is a key risk factor for posthepatectomy liver failure.
- Computed tomography (CT) volumetry predicts liver volume but often requires expensive software and radiologist support.
- ImageJ, a free NIH-developed software, offers a potential solution for accessible liver volumetry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the accuracy of ImageJ for hepatic CT volumetry.
- To evaluate ImageJ as a cost-effective alternative for surgeons.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of preoperative CT scans from 15 liver resection patients.
- Manual outlining of liver, metastases, and transection lines on CT slices using ImageJ.
- Calculation of liver and resection specimen volumes and comparison with pathology data.
Main Results:
- Excellent correlation between ImageJ-calculated volumes and actual resection specimen weights (r² = 0.98, p < 0.0001).
- Weight/volume ratio of 0.88 +/- 0.04, consistent with previous software findings.
- Demonstrated accuracy of ImageJ for hepatic CT volumetry.
Conclusions:
- ImageJ enables accurate hepatic CT volumetry on personal computers.
- This free application provides surgeons with a desktop tool for CT volumetry.
- ImageJ is particularly beneficial for referred patients with existing CT scans, reducing costs and improving accessibility.
