Generative deep-learning-model based contrast enhancement for digital subtraction angiography using a...

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is an essential imaging technique in interventional radiology, enabling detailed visualization of blood vessels by subtracting pre- and post-contrast images. However, reduced contrast, either accidental or intentional, can impair the clarity of vascular structures. This issue becomes particularly critical in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), where minimizing iodinated contrast is necessary to reduce the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). This study explored the potential of using a generative deep-learning-model based contrast enhancement technique for DSA.

A text-conditioned image-to-image model was developed using Stable Diffusion, augmented with ControlNet to reduce hallucinations and Low-Rank Adaptation for model fine-tuning. A total of 1207 DSA series were used for training and testing, with additional low-contrast images generated through data augmentation. The model was trained using tagged text labels and evaluated using metrics such as Root Mean Square (RMS) contrast, Michelson contrast, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and entropy.

Evaluation results indicated significant improvements, with RMS contrast, Michelson contrast, and entropy respectively increased from 7.91 to 17.7, 0.875 to 0.992, and 3.60 to 5.60, reflecting enhanced detail. However, SNR decreased from 21.3 to 8.50, indicating increased noise.

This study demonstrated the feasibility of deep learning-based contrast enhancement for DSA images and highlights the potential for generative deep-learning-model to improve angiographic imaging. Further refinements, particularly in artifact suppression and clinical validation, are necessary for practical implementation in medical settings.