Volume 21, Issue 10

The quantitative analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data has become increasingly important in both research and clinical studies aiming at human brain development, function, and pathology. Inevitably, the role of quantitative image analysis in the evaluation of drug therapy will increase, driven in part by requirements imposed by regulatory agencies. However, the prohibitive length of time involved and the significant intra- and inter-rater variability of the measurements obtained from manual analysis of large MRI databases represent major obstacles to the wider application of quantitative MRI analysis. We have developed a fully automatic "pipeline" image analysis framework and have successfully applied it to a number of large-scale, multi-center studies (more than 1000 MRI scans). This pipeline system is based on robust image processing algorithms, executed in a parallel, distributed fashion. This paper describes the application of this system to the automatic quantification of multiple sclerosis lesion load in MRI, in the context of a phase III clinical trial. The pipeline results were evaluated through an extensive validation study, revealing that the obtained lesion measurements are statistically indistinguishable from those obtained by trained human observers. Given that intra- and inter-rater measurement variability is eliminated by automatic analysis, this system enhances the ability to detect small treatment effects not readily detectable through conventional analysis techniques. While useful for clinical trial analysis in multiple sclerosis, this system holds widespread potential for applications in other neurological disorders, as well as for the study of neurobiology in general.

磁共振成像（MRI）数据的定量分析在旨在研究人类大脑发育、功能和病理的研究及临床应用中日益重要。在药物疗效评估中，定量图像分析的作用不可避免地将增加，部分是由监管机构的要求所驱动。然而，从大型MRI数据库的手动分析中获得的测量结果耗时过长且存在显著的观察者内和观察者间变异性，这构成了定量MRI分析更广泛应用的主要障碍。我们开发了一个全自动的“流水线”图像分析框架，并已成功应用于多项大规模、多中心研究（超过1000次MRI扫描）。该流水线系统基于稳健的图像处理算法，以并行、分布式方式执行。本文描述了该系统在一项III期临床试验中自动量化多发性硬化病灶负荷的应用。通过广泛的验证研究评估了流水线结果，发现获得的病灶测量结果与经过训练的人类观察者获得的结果在统计学上无显著差异。由于自动分析消除了观察者内和观察者间的测量变异性，该系统增强了检测通过传统分析技术不易察觉的微小治疗效果的能力。虽然该流水线对多发性硬化的临床试验分析有用，但它具有应用于其他神经系统疾病以及一般神经生物学研究的广泛潜力。

In the framework of computer assisted diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, a new algorithm for detection of exudates is presented and discussed. The presence of exudates within the macular region is a main hallmark of diabetic macular edema and allows its detection with a high sensitivity. Hence, detection of exudates is an important diagnostic task, in which computer assistance may play a major rol...

在计算机辅助诊断糖尿病视网膜病变的框架下，提出并讨论了一种检测渗出物的新算法。黄斑区内渗出物的存在是糖尿病性黄斑水肿的主要标志，可以高灵敏度地检测出来。因此，渗出物的检测是一项重要的诊断任务，计算机辅助在其中可能发挥主要作用。

This paper presents a segmentation and tracking method for quantitative analysis of cell dynamics from in vitro videomicroscopy data. The method is based on parametric active contours and includes several adaptations that address important difficulties of cellular imaging, particularly the presence of low-contrast boundary deformations known as pseudopods, and the occurence of multiple contacts be...

本文提出了一种用于从体外视频显微成像数据定量分析细胞动态的分割与跟踪方法。该方法基于参数活动轮廓，并包括若干适应措施，以解决细胞成像中的重要困难，特别是存在称为伪足的低对比度边界变形，以及多个接触的发生...

Inflammatory disease is initiated by leukocytes (white blood cells) rolling along the inner surface lining of small blood vessels called postcapillary venules. Studying the number and velocity of rolling leukocytes is essential to understanding and successfully treating inflammatory diseases. Potential inhibitors of leukocyte recruitment can be screened by leukocyte rolling assays and successful i...

炎症性疾病始于白细胞（白细胞）沿着称为毛细血管后微静脉的小血管内表面滚动。研究滚动白细胞的数量和速度对于理解和成功治疗炎症性疾病至关重要。白细胞滚动试验和成功的炎症抑制剂筛选可以通过追踪白细胞滚动来实现...

Early detection of cardiovascular disease would allow timely institution of preventive measures. Arterial endothelium play a primary role in processes leading to the development of atherosclerotic plaque and cardiovascular disease in general. Determination of flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of brachial arteries from B-mode ultrasound image sequences offers a noninvasive surrogate index of endotheli...

早期检测心血管疾病可以及时采取预防措施。动脉内皮在导致动脉粥样硬化斑块和一般心血管疾病的过程中起主要作用。从B型超声图像序列中确定肱动脉血流介导的扩张（FMD）提供了内皮功能的非侵入性替代指标...

The major limitations of precise evaluation of retinal structures in present clinical situations are the lack of standardization, the inherent subjectivity involved in the interpretation of retinal images, and intra- as well as interobserver variability. While evaluating optic disc deformation in glaucoma, these limitations could be overcome by using advanced digital image analysis techniques to g...

当前临床情况下精确评估视网膜结构的主要限制是缺乏标准化、视网膜图像判读中固有的主观性以及观察者内和观察者间的变异性。在评估青光眼视盘变形时，可以通过使用先进的数字图像分析技术来克服这些限制...

Nonrigid registration can automatically quantify small changes in volume of anatomical structures over time by means of segmentation propagation. Here, we use a nonrigid registration algorithm based on optimising normalized mutual information to quantify small changes in brain ventricle volume in magnetic resonance (MR) images of a group of five patients treated with growth hormone replacement the...

非刚性配准可通过分割传播自动量化解剖结构随时间发生的微小体积变化。本文采用基于优化归一化互信息的非刚性配准算法，量化一组接受生长激素替代治疗的五名患者的磁共振图像中脑室容积的微小变化。

Three-dimensional (3-D) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of inhaled radiolabeled aerosol in the nasal or pulmonary regions provides an in vivo measurement of drug distribution using the drug itself as the tracer. Repeated or dynamic PET scans over the time after inhalation provides us with further information about the fate of the deposited drug. These quantitative measurements are suffi...

对吸入放射性标记气溶胶在鼻腔或肺部区域进行三维（3-D）正电子发射断层扫描（PET）成像，可利用药物本身作为示踪剂，提供药物分布的在体测量。吸入后随时间进行重复或动态PET扫描，可进一步了解沉积药物的命运。这些定量测量足以...

Recent advances in drug delivery techniques have necessitated the development of tools for in vivo monitoring of drug distributions. Gamma emission imaging and magnetic resonance imaging suffer from problems of resolution and sensitivity, respectively. We propose that the combination of X-ray CT imaging and image analysis techniques provides an excellent method for the evaluation of the transport ...

药物递送技术的最新进展促使了开发用于体内监测药物分布的工具。伽马发射成像和磁共振成像分别存在分辨率和灵敏度的问题。我们认为，X射线CT成像与图像分析技术的结合为评估转运提供了极好的方法...

This paper describes the application of a new probabilistic shape and appearance model (PSAM) algorithm to the task of detecting polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in X-ray computed tomography images of laboratory mice. The genetically engineered PKD mouse is a valuable animal model that can be used to develop new treatments for kidney-related problems in humans. PSAM is a statistical-based deformabl...

本文描述了一种新的概率形状和外观模型（PSAM）算法在实验室小鼠X射线计算机断层扫描图像中检测多囊肾病（PKD）的应用。基因工程PKD小鼠是一种有价值的动物模型，可用于开发人类肾脏相关问题的新治疗方法。PSAM是一种基于统计的可变形模型...

Region-by-region comparison of data concerning left ventricular (LV) status is difficult to perform quantitatively if the data was acquired from disparate imaging modalities. We validated a method for comparing measurements obtained by electromechanical mapping (EMM) catheter with dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) via biplane contrast ventriculography, with the assistance of three-dimension...

如果数据来自不同的成像模态，则对左心室（LV）状态进行逐区域比较难以定量进行。我们验证了一种方法，该方法通过双平面对比心室造影术，在三维重建的辅助下，比较通过电解剖标测（EMM）导管和负荷超声心动图（DSE）获得的测量结果。

We have used immunofluorescence imaging to study binding of a monoclonal antibody fragment to subcutaneously implanted human melanoma cells in nude mice. The data acquired using this nontraditional approach was then analyzed using standard pharmacokinetic methods to produce estimates of k/sub e/ (0.06 h/sup -1/), t/sub 1/2/ (16 h), mean residency time (23.4 h) and percent exposure of the antibody ...

我们使用免疫荧光成像来研究单克隆抗体片段对裸鼠皮下植入的人黑色素瘤细胞的结合。然后使用标准药代动力学方法分析通过这种非传统方法获得的数据，以估计k/e/（0.06 h/sup -1/）、t/sub 1/2/（16 h）、平均滞留时间（23.4 h）和抗体暴露百分比……

This paper presents a novel measurement technique to assess the effects of coronary brachytherapy. This new technique is based upon the conventional quantitative coronary analysis (QCA) technique, which is accepted worldwide as an accurate and reliable analysis tool for clinical trials. This paper provides the definitions and main issues important for correct brachytherapy analysis. Based on these...

本文提出了一种新型测量技术，用于评估冠状动脉近距离放射疗法的效果。该新技术基于传统的定量冠状动脉分析（QCA）技术，该技术在全球范围内被公认为临床试验中准确可靠的分析工具。本文提供了正确进行近距离放射治疗分析所需的关键定义和主要问题。基于这些...