Automatic Bone Localization and Fracture Detection from Volumetric Ultrasound Images Using 3-D Local Phase Features

• Published in: Ultrasound in medicine & biology Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 128 - 144
• Main Authors: Hacihaliloglu, Ilker, Abugharbieh, Rafeef, Hodgson, Antony J., Rohling, Robert N., Guy, Pierre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: 3-D segmentation; Algorithms; Biological and medical sciences; Bone and Bones - diagnostic imaging; Bone localization; computed tomography; fascia; filters; Fractures, Bone - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Local phase features; Log Gabor filters; Medical sciences; muscles; Orthopaedic surgery; Orthopedic surgery; patients; Pattern Recognition, Automated - methods; pelvis; Phase symmetry; Radiology; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; ultrasonics; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound; Log Gabor filters; Phase symmetry; Bone localization; Local phase features; Ultrasound; 3-D segmentation; Orthopaedic surgery; Sonography; Nuclear medicine; Volumetric analysis; Segmentation; Image processing; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Fracture; Trauma; Osteoarticular system; Orthopedic surgery; Radiology; Tridimensional image; Diagnosis; Bone; Biomedical engineering
• ISSN: 0301-5629; 1879-291X; 1879-291X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2011.10.009

This article presents a novel method for bone segmentation from three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound images that derives intensity-invariant 3-D local image phase measures that are then employed for extracting ridge-like features similar to those that occur at soft tissue/bone interfaces. The main contributions in this article include: (1) the extension of our previously proposed phase-symmetry-based bone surface extraction from two-dimensional (2-D) to 3-D images using 3-D Log-Gabor filters; (2) the design of a new framework for accuracy evaluation based on using computed tomography as a gold standard that allows the assessment of surface localization accuracy across the entire 3-D surface; (3) the quantitative validation of accuracy of our 3-D phase-processing approach on both intact and fractured bone surfaces using phantoms and ex vivo 3-D ultrasound scans; and (4) the qualitative validation obtained by scanning emergency room patients with distal radius and pelvis fractures. We show a 41% improvement in surface localization error over the previous 2-D phase symmetry method. The results demonstrate clearly visible segmentations of bone surfaces with a localization accuracy of <0.6 mm and mean errors in estimating fracture displacements below 0.6 mm. The results show that the proposed method is successful even for situations when the bone surface response is weak due to shadowing from muscle and fascia interfaces above the bone, which is a situation where the 2-D method fails.