Anatomical evaluation of deep-learning synthetic computed tomography images generated from male pelvis cone-beam computed tomography

Background and purpose: To improve cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), deep-learning (DL)-models are being explored to generate synthetic CTs (sCT). The sCT evaluation is mainly focused on image quality and CT number accuracy. However, correct representation of daily anatomy of the CBCT is also im...

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Main Authors: Yvonne J.M. de Hond, Camiel E.M. Kerckhaert, Maureen A.J.M. van Eijnatten, Paul M.A. van Haaren, Coen W. Hurkmans, Rob H.N. Tijssen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-01-01
Series:Physics and Imaging in Radiation Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405631623000076
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author Yvonne J.M. de Hond
Camiel E.M. Kerckhaert
Maureen A.J.M. van Eijnatten
Paul M.A. van Haaren
Coen W. Hurkmans
Rob H.N. Tijssen
author_facet Yvonne J.M. de Hond
Camiel E.M. Kerckhaert
Maureen A.J.M. van Eijnatten
Paul M.A. van Haaren
Coen W. Hurkmans
Rob H.N. Tijssen
author_sort Yvonne J.M. de Hond
collection DOAJ
description Background and purpose: To improve cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), deep-learning (DL)-models are being explored to generate synthetic CTs (sCT). The sCT evaluation is mainly focused on image quality and CT number accuracy. However, correct representation of daily anatomy of the CBCT is also important for sCTs in adaptive radiotherapy. The aim of this study was to emphasize the importance of anatomical correctness by quantitatively assessing sCT scans generated from CBCT scans using different paired and unpaired dl-models. Materials and methods: Planning CTs (pCT) and CBCTs of 56 prostate cancer patients were included to generate sCTs. Three different dl-models, Dual-UNet, Single-UNet and Cycle-consistent Generative Adversarial Network (CycleGAN), were evaluated on image quality and anatomical correctness. The image quality was assessed using image metrics, such as Mean Absolute Error (MAE). The anatomical correctness between sCT and CBCT was quantified using organs-at-risk volumes and average surface distances (ASD). Results: MAE was 24 Hounsfield Unit (HU) [range:19-30 HU] for Dual-UNet, 40 HU [range:34-56 HU] for Single-UNet and 41HU [range:37-46 HU] for CycleGAN. Bladder ASD was 4.5 mm [range:1.6–12.3 mm] for Dual-UNet, 0.7 mm [range:0.4–1.2 mm] for Single-UNet and 0.9 mm [range:0.4–1.1 mm] CycleGAN. Conclusions: Although Dual-UNet performed best in standard image quality measures, such as MAE, the contour based anatomical feature comparison with the CBCT showed that Dual-UNet performed worst on anatomical comparison. This emphasizes the importance of adding anatomy based evaluation of sCTs generated by dl-models. For applications in the pelvic area, direct anatomical comparison with the CBCT may provide a useful method to assess the clinical applicability of dl-based sCT generation methods.
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spelling doaj.art-12e7ece56588480a9289459c8d1938fe2023-03-15T04:28:40ZengElsevierPhysics and Imaging in Radiation Oncology2405-63162023-01-0125100416Anatomical evaluation of deep-learning synthetic computed tomography images generated from male pelvis cone-beam computed tomographyYvonne J.M. de Hond0Camiel E.M. Kerckhaert1Maureen A.J.M. van Eijnatten2Paul M.A. van Haaren3Coen W. Hurkmans4Rob H.N. Tijssen5Department of Radiation Oncology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Corresponding author.Department of Radiation Oncology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The NetherlandsDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The NetherlandsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The NetherlandsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The NetherlandsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The NetherlandsBackground and purpose: To improve cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), deep-learning (DL)-models are being explored to generate synthetic CTs (sCT). The sCT evaluation is mainly focused on image quality and CT number accuracy. However, correct representation of daily anatomy of the CBCT is also important for sCTs in adaptive radiotherapy. The aim of this study was to emphasize the importance of anatomical correctness by quantitatively assessing sCT scans generated from CBCT scans using different paired and unpaired dl-models. Materials and methods: Planning CTs (pCT) and CBCTs of 56 prostate cancer patients were included to generate sCTs. Three different dl-models, Dual-UNet, Single-UNet and Cycle-consistent Generative Adversarial Network (CycleGAN), were evaluated on image quality and anatomical correctness. The image quality was assessed using image metrics, such as Mean Absolute Error (MAE). The anatomical correctness between sCT and CBCT was quantified using organs-at-risk volumes and average surface distances (ASD). Results: MAE was 24 Hounsfield Unit (HU) [range:19-30 HU] for Dual-UNet, 40 HU [range:34-56 HU] for Single-UNet and 41HU [range:37-46 HU] for CycleGAN. Bladder ASD was 4.5 mm [range:1.6–12.3 mm] for Dual-UNet, 0.7 mm [range:0.4–1.2 mm] for Single-UNet and 0.9 mm [range:0.4–1.1 mm] CycleGAN. Conclusions: Although Dual-UNet performed best in standard image quality measures, such as MAE, the contour based anatomical feature comparison with the CBCT showed that Dual-UNet performed worst on anatomical comparison. This emphasizes the importance of adding anatomy based evaluation of sCTs generated by dl-models. For applications in the pelvic area, direct anatomical comparison with the CBCT may provide a useful method to assess the clinical applicability of dl-based sCT generation methods.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405631623000076Deep-LearningSynthetic computed tomographyCone-beam computed tomographyAverage surface distanceAnatomical comparisonVolume difference
spellingShingle Yvonne J.M. de Hond
Camiel E.M. Kerckhaert
Maureen A.J.M. van Eijnatten
Paul M.A. van Haaren
Coen W. Hurkmans
Rob H.N. Tijssen
Anatomical evaluation of deep-learning synthetic computed tomography images generated from male pelvis cone-beam computed tomography
Physics and Imaging in Radiation Oncology
Deep-Learning
Synthetic computed tomography
Cone-beam computed tomography
Average surface distance
Anatomical comparison
Volume difference
title Anatomical evaluation of deep-learning synthetic computed tomography images generated from male pelvis cone-beam computed tomography
title_full Anatomical evaluation of deep-learning synthetic computed tomography images generated from male pelvis cone-beam computed tomography
title_fullStr Anatomical evaluation of deep-learning synthetic computed tomography images generated from male pelvis cone-beam computed tomography
title_full_unstemmed Anatomical evaluation of deep-learning synthetic computed tomography images generated from male pelvis cone-beam computed tomography
title_short Anatomical evaluation of deep-learning synthetic computed tomography images generated from male pelvis cone-beam computed tomography
title_sort anatomical evaluation of deep learning synthetic computed tomography images generated from male pelvis cone beam computed tomography
topic Deep-Learning
Synthetic computed tomography
Cone-beam computed tomography
Average surface distance
Anatomical comparison
Volume difference
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405631623000076
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