Breathing motion compensation in chest tomosynthesis: evaluation of the effect on image quality and presence of artifacts.

IF 1.9 Q3 RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING

Journal of Medical Imaging Pub Date : 2025-01-01 Epub Date: 2024-09-14 DOI:10.1117/1.JMI.12.S1.S13004

Maral Mirzai, Jenny Nilsson, Patrik Sund, Rauni Rossi Norrlund, Micael Oliveira Diniz, Bengt Gottfridsson, Ida Häggström, Åse A Johnsson, Magnus Båth, Angelica Svalkvist

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose: Chest tomosynthesis (CTS) has a relatively longer acquisition time compared with chest X-ray, which may increase the risk of motion artifacts in the reconstructed images. Motion artifacts induced by breathing motion adversely impact the image quality. This study aims to reduce these artifacts by excluding projection images identified with breathing motion prior to the reconstruction of section images and to assess if motion compensation improves overall image quality.

Approach: In this study, 2969 CTS examinations were analyzed to identify examinations where breathing motion has occurred using a method based on localizing the diaphragm border in each of the projection images. A trajectory over diaphragm positions was estimated from a second-order polynomial curve fit, and projection images where the diaphragm border deviated from the trajectory were removed before reconstruction. The image quality between motion-compensated and uncompensated examinations was evaluated using the image quality criteria for anatomical structures and image artifacts in a visual grading characteristic (VGC) study. The resulting rating data were statistically analyzed using the software VGC analyzer.

Results: A total of 58 examinations were included in this study with breathing motion occurring either at the beginning or end ( $n = 17$ ) or throughout the entire acquisition ( $n = 41$ ). In general, no significant difference in image quality or presence of motion artifacts was shown between the motion-compensated and uncompensated examinations. However, motion compensation significantly improved the image quality and reduced the motion artifacts in cases where motion occurred at the beginning or end. In examinations where motion occurred throughout the acquisition, motion compensation led to a significant increase in ripple artifacts and noise.

Conclusions: Compensation for respiratory motion in CTS by excluding projection images may improve the image quality if the motion occurs mainly at the beginning or end of the examination. However, the disadvantages of excluding projections may outweigh the benefits of motion compensation.

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胸部断层扫描中的呼吸运动补偿：评估对图像质量和伪影的影响。

目的：胸部断层扫描（CTS）与胸部 X 光相比，采集时间相对较长，这可能会增加重建图像中出现运动伪影的风险。呼吸运动引起的运动伪影会对图像质量造成负面影响。本研究旨在通过在重建切面图像前排除有呼吸运动的投影图像来减少这些伪影，并评估运动补偿是否能改善整体图像质量：在这项研究中，对 2969 例 CTS 检查进行了分析，以便使用一种基于定位每张投影图像中横膈膜边界的方法来识别发生呼吸运动的检查。通过二阶多项式曲线拟合估算出横膈膜位置的轨迹，并在重建前去除横膈膜边界偏离轨迹的投影图像。在视觉分级特征（VGC）研究中，使用解剖结构和图像伪影的图像质量标准评估了运动补偿检查和未补偿检查之间的图像质量。结果：本研究共包括 58 次检查，呼吸运动发生在检查开始或结束时（17 次）或整个采集过程中（41 次）。一般来说，运动补偿和未补偿的检查在图像质量或运动伪影方面没有明显差异。但是，如果运动发生在采集开始或结束时，运动补偿会明显改善图像质量并减少运动伪影。在整个采集过程中都出现运动的检查中，运动补偿导致纹波伪影和噪声显著增加：结论：如果运动主要发生在检查开始或结束时，通过排除投影图像来补偿 CTS 中的呼吸运动可能会改善图像质量。然而，排除投影的弊端可能大于运动补偿的好处。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Medical Imaging RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING-

CiteScore

4.10

自引率

4.20%

发文量

期刊介绍： JMI covers fundamental and translational research, as well as applications, focused on medical imaging, which continue to yield physical and biomedical advancements in the early detection, diagnostics, and therapy of disease as well as in the understanding of normal. The scope of JMI includes: Imaging physics, Tomographic reconstruction algorithms (such as those in CT and MRI), Image processing and deep learning, Computer-aided diagnosis and quantitative image analysis, Visualization and modeling, Picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), Image perception and observer performance, Technology assessment, Ultrasonic imaging, Image-guided procedures, Digital pathology, Biomedical applications of biomedical imaging. JMI allows for the peer-reviewed communication and archiving of scientific developments, translational and clinical applications, reviews, and recommendations for the field.