A Computer Program for Assessing Histoanatomical Morphometrics in Ultra-High-Frequency Ultrasound Images of the Bowel...

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Ultra-high-frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) shows potential in distinguishing between aganglionic and ganglionic bowel walls based on histoanatomical differences.
• Previous studies have established a correlation between bowel wall histoanatomy and UHFUS findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a computer program for precise and objective assessment of histoanatomical morphometrics in UHFUS images of the bowel wall.
• To enable automatic calculation of thickness and amplitude within different bowel wall layers.

Main Methods:

• Development of a user-friendly computer program for UHFUS image analysis in collaboration with pediatric surgeons and biomedical engineers.
• Input of ex vivo bowel wall images from 23 children with recto-sigmoid Hirschsprung's disease.
• Calculation of thickness and amplitude by the program, with assessment by two observers to evaluate inter-observer variability.

Main Results:

• Excellent inter-observer agreement was achieved, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.970 to 0.998.
• Bland-Altman plots indicated minimal and consistent differences in measurements.
• Mean differences in thickness and amplitude were small, representing a low percentage of the overall mean (1.1-3.6% for thickness, 0.0-0.8% for amplitude).

Conclusions:

• The developed computer program provides objective, accurate, and time-efficient measurements of bowel wall histoanatomical parameters from UHFUS images.
• This tool has the potential to accelerate research in UHFUS diagnostics for various bowel wall conditions.