Needle tip visibility in 3D ultrasound images

Arif, Muhammad; Moelker, Adriaan; Walsum, Theo van

doi:10.1117/12.2254060

Cited by 4 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…A visible surface must produce echoes differently from its surroundings; that is, the FG and BG areas must be segregable. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) (Arif et al 2018) aptly quantifies surface visibility as it evaluates the difference in signal strengths. In turn, echogenicity resembles a surface property, independent of BG conditions.…”

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Instead of reintroducing the needle in numerous relevant orientations, a rotational platform was used to study a full range of insertion angles. Needle visibility was analyzed in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which has good tissue resemblance in US images (Arif et al 2018;Surry et al 2004). Needle echogenicity was analyzed in water to reduce attenuations and distortions.…”

Section: Aim and Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Methodical Quantification of Needle Visibility and Echogenicity in Ultrasound Images

Berg

Sánchez‐Margallo

Dijke

et al. 2019

Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology

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During ultrasound-guided percutaneous interventions, needle localization can be a challenge. To increase needle visibility, enhancements of both the imaging methods and the needle surface properties have been investigated. However, a methodical approach to compare potential solutions is currently unavailable. The work described here involves automated image acquisition, analysis and reporting techniques to collect large amounts of data efficiently, delineate relevant factors and communicate effects. Data processing included filtering, line fitting and image intensity analysis steps. Foreground and background image samples were used to compute a contrast-to-noise ratio or a signal ratio. The approach was evaluated in a comparative study of commercially available and custom-made needles. Varied parameters included needle material, diameter and surface roughness. The shafts with kerfed patterns and the trocar and chiba tips performed best. The approach enabled an intuitive polar depiction of needle visibility in ultrasound images for a large range of insertion angles.

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Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Aim and Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Methodical Quantification of Needle Visibility and Echogenicity in Ultrasound Images

Berg

Sánchez‐Margallo

Dijke

et al. 2019

Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology

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“…Needle visibility is strongly dependent on the insertion angle, where the highest values are seen at orthogonal needle‐probe angles (Figures 4 and 5). Other studies also reported an increase in visibility of the needle near the 90° angle 13,32 . This effect is caused by specular reflections of US waves at the needle surface, returning to the probe for orthogonal angles, but not for acute angles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Arif et al. also obtained better visibility results for the ablation needles, including RFA, in a comparative study with commercial percutaneous needles 13 . However, they analyzed the visibility of the needle tips under 3D ultrasound imaging.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Block‐matching‐based registration to evaluate ultrasound visibility of percutaneous needles in liver‐mimicking phantoms

et al. 2021

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Purpose To present a novel methodical approach to compare visibility of percutaneous needles in ultrasound images. Methods A motor‐driven rotation platform was used to gradually change the needle angle while capturing image data. Data analysis was automated using block‐matching‐based registration, with a tracking and refinement step. Every 25 frames, a Hough transform was used to improve needle alignments after large rotations. The method was demonstrated by comparing three commercial needles (14G radiofrequency ablation, RFA; 18G Trocar; 22G Chiba) and six prototype needles with different sizes, materials, and surface conditions (polished, sand‐blasted, and kerfed), within polyvinyl alcohol phantom tissue and ex vivo bovine liver models. For each needle and angle, a contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) was determined to quantify visibility. CNR values are presented as a function of needle type and insertion angle. In addition, the normalized area under the (CNR‐angle) curve was used as a summary metric to compare needles. Results In phantom tissue, the first kerfed needle design had the largest normalized area of visibility and the polished 1 mm diameter stainless steel needle the smallest (0.704 ± 0.199 vs. 0.154 ± 0.027, p < 0.01). In the ex vivo model, the second kerfed needle design had the largest normalized area of visibility, and the sand‐blasted stainless steel needle the smallest (0.470 ± 0.190 vs. 0.127 ± 0.047, p < 0.001). As expected, the analysis showed needle visibility peaks at orthogonal insertion angles. For acute or obtuse angles, needle visibility was similar or reduced. Overall, the variability in needle visibility was considerably higher in livers. Conclusion The best overall visibility was found with kerfed needles and the commercial RFA needle. The presented methodical approach to quantify ultrasound visibility allows comparisons of (echogenic) needles, as well as other technological innovations aiming to improve ultrasound visibility of percutaneous needles, such as coatings, material treatments, and beam steering approaches.

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“…Unfortunately, current limitations still exist for visualizing and verifying needle applicator positions in 3D US liver images as the visibility can change with needle applicator insertion angle, depth, and size, in addition to the choice of transducer (i.e., curvilinear) and local anatomical acoustic reflections that result in complicated images containing shadows and reverberation artifacts with unclear line-like interfaces. 16,17 Attempts have been made using a variety of needle applicator-enhancing techniques to address these localization concerns for the physician by incorporating additional features like echogenic coatings, 18 magnetic or optical tracking systems, 19 robotic needle steering, 20 augmented reality, 21 and US beam steering. 22 Although many options seem promising, all of the above choices add increased cost and complexity relative to the conventional procedure, which can be a limiting factor for widespread dissemination.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three‐dimensional therapy needle applicator segmentation for ultrasound‐guided focal liver ablation

et al. 2019

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Purpose Minimally invasive procedures, such as microwave ablation, are becoming first‐line treatment options for early‐stage liver cancer due to lower complication rates and shorter recovery times than conventional surgical techniques. Although these procedures are promising, one reason preventing widespread adoption is inadequate local tumor ablation leading to observations of higher local cancer recurrence compared to conventional procedures. Poor ablation coverage has been associated with two‐dimensional (2D) ultrasound (US) guidance of the therapy needle applicators and has stimulated investigation into the use of three‐dimensional (3D) US imaging for these procedures. We have developed a supervised 3D US needle applicator segmentation algorithm using a single user input to augment the addition of 3D US to the current focal liver tumor ablation workflow with the goals of identifying and improving needle applicator localization efficiency. Methods The algorithm is initialized by creating a spherical search space of line segments around a manually chosen seed point that is selected by a user on the needle applicator visualized in a 3D US image. The most probable trajectory is chosen by maximizing the count and intensity of threshold voxels along a line segment and is filtered using the Otsu method to determine the tip location. Homogeneous tissue mimicking phantom images containing needle applicators were used to optimize the parameters of the algorithm prior to a four‐user investigation on retrospective 3D US images of patients who underwent microwave ablation for liver cancer. Trajectory, axis localization, and tip errors were computed based on comparisons to manual segmentations in 3D US images. Results Segmentation of needle applicators in ten phantom 3D US images was optimized to median (Q1, Q3) trajectory, axis, and tip errors of 2.1 (1.1, 3.6)°, 1.3 (0.8, 2.1) mm, and 1.3 (0.7, 2.5) mm, respectively, with a mean ± SD segmentation computation time of 0.246 ± 0.007 s. Use of the segmentation method with a 16 in vivo 3D US patient dataset resulted in median (Q1, Q3) trajectory, axis, and tip errors of 4.5 (2.4, 5.2)°, 1.9 (1.7, 2.1) mm, and 5.1 (2.2, 5.9) mm based on all users. Conclusions Segmentation of needle applicators in 3D US images during minimally invasive liver cancer therapeutic procedures could provide a utility that enables enhanced needle applicator guidance, placement verification, and improved clinical workflow. A semi‐automated 3D US needle applicator segmentation algorithm used in vivo demonstrated localization of the visualized trajectory and tip with less than 5° and 5.2 mm errors, respectively, in less than 0.31 s. This offers the ability to assess and adjust needle applicator placements intraoperatively to potentially decrease the observed liver cancer recurrence rates associated with current ablation procedures. Although optimized for deep and oblique angle needle applicator insertions, this proposed workflow has the potential to be altered for a variety of image‐guided minimally inva...

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Needle tip visibility in 3D ultrasound images

Cited by 4 publications

References 12 publications

A Methodical Quantification of Needle Visibility and Echogenicity in Ultrasound Images

A Methodical Quantification of Needle Visibility and Echogenicity in Ultrasound Images

Block‐matching‐based registration to evaluate ultrasound visibility of percutaneous needles in liver‐mimicking phantoms

Three‐dimensional therapy needle applicator segmentation for ultrasound‐guided focal liver ablation

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