Automated localization of implanted seeds in 3D TRUS images used for prostate brachytherapy

Journal Article · Sat Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Medical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1118/1.2207132· OSTI ID:20853215

Zhouping, Wei; Gardi, Lori; Downey, Donal B; Fenster, Aaron ^[1]

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1. Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, London, ON N6A 5K8 (Canada) and Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B9 (Canada)

An algorithm has been developed in this paper to localize implanted radioactive seeds in 3D ultrasound images for a dynamic intraoperative brachytherapy procedure. Segmentation of the seeds is difficult, due to their small size in relatively low quality of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) images. In this paper, intraoperative seed segmentation in 3D TRUS images is achieved by performing a subtraction of the image before the needle has been inserted, and the image after the seeds have been implanted. The seeds are searched in a 'local' space determined by the needle position and orientation information, which are obtained from a needle segmentation algorithm. To test this approach, 3D TRUS images of the agar and chicken tissue phantoms were obtained. Within these phantoms, dummy seeds were implanted. The seed locations determined by the seed segmentation algorithm were compared with those obtained from a volumetric cone-beam flat-panel micro-CT scanner and human observers. Evaluation of the algorithm showed that the rms error in determining the seed locations using the seed segmentation algorithm was 0.98 mm in agar phantoms and 1.02 mm in chicken phantoms.

• OSTI ID: 20853215
• Journal Information: Medical Physics, Journal Name: Medical Physics Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 33; ISSN 0094-2405; ISSN MPHYA6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
AGAR
ALGORITHMS
BEAMS
BRACHYTHERAPY
CARCINOMAS
CHICKENS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
ERRORS
IMAGE PROCESSING
IMAGES
PHANTOMS
PROSTATE
ULTRASONOGRAPHY