Comparison of the Tada formula with software slicer: precise and low-cost method for volume assessment of...

The Tada (ABC/2) formula has been used widely for volume assessment of intracerebral hematoma. However, the formula is crude for irregularly shaped hematoma. We aimed to compare the accuracy of the ABC/2 formula with open source software Slicer.

Computed tomographic images of 294 patients with spontaneous intracerebral hematoma were collected. Hematoma volumes were assessed with the ABC/2 formula and calculated with software 3D Slicer. Results of these 2 methods were compared with regard to hematoma size and shape.

The estimated hematoma volume was 58.41±37.83 cm(3) using the ABC/2 formula, compared with 50.38±31.93 cm(3) with 3D Slicer (mean percentage deviation, 16.38±9.15%). When allocate patients into groups according to hematoma size, the mean estimation error were 3.24 cm(3) (17.72%), 5.85 cm(3) (13.72%), and 15.14 cm(3) (17.48%) for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. When divided by shape, estimation error was 3.33 cm(3) (9.76%), 7.19 cm(3) (18.37%), and 29.39 cm(3) (39.12%) for regular, irregular, and multilobular hematomas.

There is significant estimation error using the ABC/2 formula to calculate hematoma volume. Compared with hematoma size, estimation error is more significantly associated with hematoma shape.