Explainable fully automated CT scoring of interstitial lung disease for patients suspected of systemic sclerosis by cascaded regression neural networks and its comparison with experts.

Visual scoring of interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis (SSc-ILD) from CT scans is laborious, subjective and time-consuming. This study aims to develop a deep learning framework to automate SSc-ILD scoring. The automated framework is a cascade of two neural networks.

If you can make it, you can share it - Perspectives on the first DIY-fair at the European congress of medical physics (ECMP, DUBLIN 2022).

The medical physics and engineering community is known for being active in conjuring do-it-yourself (DIY) -solutions to support their clinical and research work. To facilitate the exchange of solutions and ideas, a DIY-fair was held for the first time at the European Congress of Medical Physics (ECMP) in August 2022 in Dublin, Ireland. Altogether 32 contributions were presented, consisting of software, scripts, 3D-printed customized solutions, devices, gadgets and phantoms.

Automated quantification of the pulmonary vasculature in pulmonary embolism and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

The shape and distribution of vascular lesions in pulmonary embolism (PE) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) are different. We investigated whether automated quantification of pulmonary vascular morphology and densitometry in arteries and veins imaged by computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) could distinguish PE from CTEPH. We analyzed CTPA images from a cohort of 16 PE patients, 6 CTEPH patients, and 15 controls.

Design and evaluation of a modular multimodality imaging phantom to simulate heterogeneous uptake and enhancement patterns for radiomic quantification in hybrid imaging: A feasibility study.

Background: Accuracy and precision assessment in radiomic features is important for the determination of their potential to characterize cancer lesions. In this regard, simulation of different imaging conditions using specialized phantoms is increasingly being investigated. In this study, the design and evaluation of a modular multimodality imaging phantom to simulate heterogeneous uptake and enhancement patterns for radiomics quantification in hybrid imaging is presented.

Automatic quantitative analysis of pulmonary vascular morphology in CT images.

Purpose: Vascular remodeling is a significant pathological feature of various pulmonary diseases, which may be assessed by quantitative computed tomography (CT) imaging. The purpose of this study was therefore to develop and validate an automatic method for quantifying pulmonary vascular morphology in CT images.

Methods: The proposed method consists of pulmonary vessel extraction and quantification.

Added Value of Ultra-low-dose Computed Tomography, Dose Equivalent to Chest X-Ray Radiography, for Diagnosing Chest Pathology.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical value of ultra-low-dose computed tomography (ULDCT) compared with chest x-ray radiography (CXR) for diagnosing chest pathology.

Materials And Methods: A total of 200 patients referred for CXR by outpatient clinics or general practitioners were enrolled prospectively. They underwent CXR (posteroanterior and lateral) and ULDCT (120 kV, 3 mAs) on the same day.

Development of a 3D printed anthropomorphic lung phantom for image quality assessment in CT.

Purpose: To design a 3D printed anthropomorphic lung vessel phantom for CT image quality assessment and to evaluate the phantom image and dose characteristics.

Methods: An in-house algorithm generated a vessel tree model, based on human lungs anatomy, which was 3D printed using a multi jet modeling printer (0.25 mm ≤ vessel diameters ≤ 8.

Inter-laboratory comparison of channelized hotelling observer computation.

Purpose: The task-based assessment of image quality using model observers is increasingly used for the assessment of different imaging modalities. However, the performance computation of model observers needs standardization as well as a well-established trust in its implementation methodology and uncertainty estimation. The purpose of this work was to determine the degree of equivalence of the channelized Hotelling observer performance and uncertainty estimation using an intercomparison exercise.

Quality control in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) EFOMP-ESTRO-IAEA protocol (summary report).

The aim of the guideline presented in this article is to unify the test parameters for image quality evaluation and radiation output in all types of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) systems. The applications of CBCT spread over dental and interventional radiology, guided surgery and radiotherapy. The chosen tests provide the means to objectively evaluate the performance and monitor the constancy of the imaging chain.

A Monte Carlo simulation for the estimation of patient dose in rest and stress cardiac computed tomography with a 320-detector row CT scanner.

Purpose: To estimate organ dose and effective dose for patients for cardiac CT as applied in an international multicenter study (CORE320) with a 320-Detector row CT scanner using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and voxelized phantoms. The effect of positioning of the arms, off-centering the patient and heart rate on patient dose was analyzed.

Methods: A MC code was tailored to simulate the geometry and characteristics of the CT scanner.

Adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D versus filtered back projection in CT: evaluation of image quality.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate image quality with filtered back projection (FBP) and adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D (AIDR 3D).

Materials And Methods: Phantom acquisitions were performed at six dose levels to assess spatial resolution, noise, and low-contrast detectability (LCD). Spatial resolution was assessed with the modulation transfer function at high and low contrast levels.