Clinical validation of an automated vessel-segmentation software of the extracranial-carotid arteries based on
R Guzman1, K O Lovblad, S Altrichter
1Department of Neurosurgery, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland.
Objectives:
To determine the accuracy of automated vessel-segmentation software for vessel-diameter measurements based on three-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (3D-MRA).
Method:
In 10 patients with high-grade carotid stenosis, automated measurements of both carotid arteries were obtained with 3D-MRA by two independent investigators and compared with manual measurements obtained by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and 2D maximum-intensity projection (2D-MIP) based on MRA and duplex ultrasonography (US). In 42 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA), intraoperative measurements (IOP) were compared with postoperative 3D-MRA and US.
Results:
Mean interoperator variability was 8% for measurements by DSA and 11% by 2D-MIP, but there was no interoperator variability with the automated 3D-MRA analysis. Good correlations were found between DSA (standard of reference), manual 2D-MIP (rP=0.6) and automated 3D-MRA (rP=0.8). Excellent correlations were found between IOP, 3D-MRA (rP=0.93) and US (rP=0.83).
Conclusion:
Automated 3D-MRA-based vessel segmentation and quantification result in accurate measurements of extracerebral-vessel dimensions.
