Vessel reconstructions

[JAVIER L]

Hello and congratulations on the launching of democritiz3D. This is a big step for 3D printing in the medical world. 

 

I am interested in abdominal vessel segmentation taken from abdominal CT scans. While most of the models you guys produce are bone, I have also seen in your democritiz3D website that you advertise  vessel segmentation. 

I have tried to upload an NRRD file to the system and in the operation list i dont find CT NRRD to vessel STL option.  I tried the muscle tissue option but the reconstruction was not good. 

 

I am specially interested in the artery AND vein of the superior mesenteric vessels and all their branches. I know it is difficult area and specially to segment both the artery and vein. I would not mind getting the arteries and veins in 2 different STL files.  I have also seen some test models of the mesenteric vasculature on your website but many relevant branches  are missing. 

 

Can democritiz3D do this work? or maybe Dr. Mike would be kind enough to try to advice me here. Most of the CT dicoms are in the arterial phase. 

I appreciate all the help I can get.

 

 

[kopachini]

Dear Jee Lee, if CTs are done in arterial phase you will hardly be able to show venous system by automatic segmentation, maybe if a really late phase more porto-venous phase is done you will have some more success.

 

I would suggest that if you have arterial phase only, try automatic segmentation for arteries and try manual segmentation for veins. Or obtain porto-venous phase CT study.

[Dr. Mike]

I agree with kopachini. A good arterial phase can be automatically segmented using the correct threshold level. The default of 150 is probably OK, but you can adjust this to meet the specific parameters if your scan. Check to see what the hounsfield density is within a major vessel, such as the aorta, on the arterial phase of the scan.

Venous phase is more difficult because by the time the contrast is in the veins there is also usually organ enhancement and the organs will be included in the threshold segmentation. If you have a scan with the right kind of contrast enhancement however, it will work. If the scan isn't perfect, then you may have to fall back on manual segmentation using software like 3D slicer. Hope this helps.