Placenta segmentation in ultrasound imaging: Addressing sources of uncertainty and limited field-of-view

Zimmer, Veronika A.; Gómez, Alberto; Skelton, Emily; Wright, Robert; Wheeler, Gavin; Deng, Shujie; Ghavami, Navid; Lloyd, Karen G.; Matthew, Jacqueline; Kainz, Bernhard; Rueckert, Daniel; Hajnal, Joseph V.; Schnabel, Julia A.

doi:10.1016/j.media.2022.102639

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…As a next step, the methods can be validated in AAA patients gradually moving towards the final application. In the future, we also envision a more flexible set-up, rather than the currently used experimental arch, for instance using probe holders with multiple apertures attached Zimmer et al (2023) . This will still allow for the clinician to perform a free-hand scan, and use 3-D ultrasound.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a later study ( Sjoerdsma et al, 2023 ), 3D multi-perspective ultrasound imaging was also performed in patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Also in obstetric ( Zimmer et al, 2023 ) and cardiac applications ( Rajpoot et al, 2011 ; Mulder et al, 2014 ), the use of multi-perspective imaging has shown to improve the visibility of the imaged structures. However, in such an approach, the ultrasound images have to be temporally aligned to match the cardiac cycle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In vivo bistatic dual-aperture ultrasound imaging and elastography of the abdominal aorta

van Hal,

de Hoop,

van Sambeek

et al. 2024

Front. Physiol.

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Introduction: In this paper we introduce in vivo multi-aperture ultrasound imaging and elastography of the abdominal aorta. Monitoring of the geometry and growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is paramount for risk stratification and intervention planning. However, such an assessment is limited by the lateral lumen-wall contrast and resolution of conventional ultrasound. Here, an in vivo dual-aperture bistatic imaging approach is shown to improve abdominal ultrasound and strain imaging quality significantly. By scanning the aorta from different directions, a larger part of the vessel circumference can be visualized.Methods: In this first-in-man volunteer study, the performance of multi-aperture ultrasound imaging and elastography of the abdominal aortic wall was assessed in 20 healthy volunteers. Dual-probe acquisition was performed in which two curved array transducers were aligned in the same imaging plane. The transducers alternately transmit and both probes receive simultaneously on each transmit event, which allows for the reconstruction of four ultrasound signals. Automatic probe localization was achieved by optimizing the coherence of the trans-probe data, using a gradient descent algorithm. Speckle-tracking was performed on the four individual bistatic signals, after which the respective axial displacements were compounded and strains were calculated.Results: Using bistatic multi-aperture ultrasound imaging, the image quality of the ultrasound images, i.e., the angular coverage of the wall, was improved which enables accurate estimation of local motion dynamics and strain in the abdominal aortic wall. The motion tracking error was reduced from 1.3 mm ± 0.63 mm to 0.16 mm ± 0.076 mm, which increased the circumferential elastographic signal-to-noise ratio (SNRe) by 12.3 dB ± 8.3 dB on average, revealing more accurate and homogeneous strain estimates compared to single-perspective ultrasound.Conclusion: Multi-aperture ultrasound imaging and elastography is feasible in vivo and can provide the clinician with vital information about the anatomical and mechanical state of AAAs in the future.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In vivo bistatic dual-aperture ultrasound imaging and elastography of the abdominal aorta

van Hal,

de Hoop,

van Sambeek

et al. 2024

Front. Physiol.

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“…However, little is known about the occurrence of placental alterations in female dogs and the study of the normal aspect of the placenta is the initial step for future studies on possible placental alterations that may be related to the risk of miscarriages, maternal diseases or foetal malformations. Unlike in women, placental alterations potentially harmful to fetal development in dogs are known and can be detected on prenatal ultrasound, helping to choose the best clinical approach to preserve maternal and fetal health (Moradi et al, 2023;Zimmer et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishment of a new equation to estimate gestational age in female dogs

Pollis,

Padilha,

Campos

et al. 2023

Reprod Domestic Animals

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The objectives of this study were to propose a statistical model to predict the behaviour of the thickness of the uteroplacental junction as a function of the gestation period in female dogs and to determine the relationship between the thickness of the placenta and gestational age in healthy female dogs whose pregnancies had elapsed without maternal‐fetal alterations. Eight Border Collie female dogs were selected, aged 3–6 (4.48 ± 0.89) and weighing 16–22 kg (19.06 ± 1.9 kg). Female dogs with gestational ages from 20 to 62 days were examined weekly using B‐mode ultrasonography. Ultrasound measurements of the uteroplacental junction were organized into four distinct groups: GT1 (27–36 days of gestation), GT2 (37–46 days of gestation), GT3 (47–56 days of gestation) and GT4 (57–62 days of gestation). Based on multiple linear regression, a statistical model was proposed to predict the behaviour of the thickness of the uteroplacental junction (y) as a function of the length of gestation (x) in female dogs, where b0 is the intercept (linear coefficient) and bp is the slope of the predictors. The analysis relating GT, age and weight could predict placental thickness and resulted in a statistically significant model [F(1,28) = 153,736; p < .001; R2 = .846], but only that relating the length of pregnancy (β = .92; t = 12.399; p < .001) predicted the thickness of the placenta according to the equation y = b0 + bp.x1 [(thickness in cm) = β −0.3 + 0.019 × (gestation time in days)]. Only in GT4 was there no correlation between placentas within the same pregnancy (p > .05). Based on the close relationship between the development of the uteroplacental junction thickness during pregnancy and gestational age, it is possible to develop a new tool to complement gestational ultrasound evaluation in female dogs. This is important because it allows better placental evaluation in the search for significant alterations that could compromise maternal‐fetal health.

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“…The increased contrast improves both segmentation and motion tracking [18,19], but this technique requires besides a spatial alignment also a temporal registration of the cardiac cycle and is prone to motion related artefacts [20]. By performing high frame rate interleaved transmissions in 2D with two or more transducers, multi-perspective images can be directly compounded after spatial registration [21][22][23]. Additionally, functional information such as high resolution axial displacements can be also combined with minimum decorrelation for enhanced precision of tissue motion [21,24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coherent Bistatic 3-D Ultrasound Imaging Using Two Sparse Matrix Arrays

Hoop

Schwab

Lopata

2023

IEEE Trans. Ultrason., Ferroelect., Freq. Contr.

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Placenta segmentation in ultrasound imaging: Addressing sources of uncertainty and limited field-of-view

Cited by 10 publications

References 48 publications

In vivo bistatic dual-aperture ultrasound imaging and elastography of the abdominal aorta

In vivo bistatic dual-aperture ultrasound imaging and elastography of the abdominal aorta

Establishment of a new equation to estimate gestational age in female dogs

Coherent Bistatic 3-D Ultrasound Imaging Using Two Sparse Matrix Arrays

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