NoiseNet, a fully automatic noise assessment tool that can identify non-diagnostic CCTA examinations
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2024

Image noise and vascular attenuation are important factors affecting image quality and diagnostic accuracy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). The aim of this study was to develop an algorithm that automatically performs noise and attenuation measurements in CCTA and to evaluate the ability of the algorithm to identify non-diagnostic examinations. The algorithm, “NoiseNet”, was trained and tested on 244 CCTA studies from the Swedish CArdioPulmonary BioImage Study. The model is a 3D U-Net that automatically segments the aortic root and measures attenuation (Hounsfield Units, HU), noise (standard deviation of HU, HUsd) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, HU/HUsd) in the aortic lumen, close to the left coronary ostium. NoiseNet was then applied to 529 CCTA studies previously categorized into three subgroups: fully diagnostic, diagnostic with excluded parts and non-diagnostic. There was excellent correlation between NoiseNet and manual measurements of noise (r = 0.948; p < 0.001) and SNR (r = 0.948; <0.001). There was a significant difference in noise levels between the image quality subgroups: fully diagnostic 33.1 (29.8–37.9); diagnostic with excluded parts 36.1 (31.5–40.3) and non-diagnostic 42.1 (35.2–47.7; p < 0.001). Corresponding values for SNR were 16.1 (14.0–18.0); 14.0 (12.4–16.2) and 11.1 (9.6–14.0; p < 0.001). ROC analysis for prediction of a non-diagnostic study showed an AUC for noise of 0.73 (CI 0.64–0.83) and for SNR of 0.80 (CI 0.71–0.89). In conclusion, NoiseNet can perform noise and SNR measurements with high accuracy. Noise and SNR impact image quality and automatic measurements may be used to identify CCTA studies with low image quality.

Noise

Coronary computed tomography angiography

Image quality

Signal to noise

Deep learning

Artificial intelligence

Författare

Emma Palmquist

Göteborgs universitet

Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset

Jennifer Alvén

Chalmers, Elektroteknik, Signalbehandling och medicinsk teknik

Michael Kercsik

Alingsås Lasarett

Måns Larsson

Eigenvision AB

Niklas Lundqvist

Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset

Göteborgs universitet

Ola Hjelmgren

Göteborgs universitet

Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset

Erika Fagman

Göteborgs universitet

Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset

International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging

1569-5794 (ISSN) 18758312 (eISSN)

Vol. 40 7 1493-1500

Ämneskategorier

Reglerteknik

Medicinsk bildbehandling

DOI

10.1007/s10554-024-03130-x

PubMed

38748056

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2024-07-27