Publications by Year: 2008

2008

Bakshi R, Thompson AJ, Rocca MA, Pelletier D, Dousset V, Barkhof F, Inglese M, Guttmann CRG, Horsfield MA, Filippi M. MRI in multiple sclerosis: current status and future prospects. Lancet Neurol. 2008;7(7):615–25.
Many promising MRI approaches for research or clinical management of multiple sclerosis (MS) have recently emerged, or are under development or refinement. Advanced MRI methods need to be assessed to determine whether they allow earlier diagnosis or better identification of phenotypes. Improved post-processing should allow more efficient and complete extraction of information from images. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy should improve in sensitivity and specificity with higher field strengths and should enable the detection of a wider array of metabolites. Diffusion imaging is moving closer to the goal of defining structural connectivity and, thereby, determining the functional significance of lesions at specific locations. Cell-specific imaging now seems feasible with new magnetic resonance contrast agents. The imaging of myelin water fraction brings the hope of providing a specific measure of myelin content. Ultra-high-field MRI increases sensitivity, but also presents new technical challenges. Here, we review these recent developments in MRI for MS, and also look forward to refinements in spinal-cord imaging, optic-nerve imaging, perfusion MRI, and functional MRI. Advances in MRI should improve our ability to diagnose, monitor, and understand the pathophysiology of MS.
Dinov ID, Rubin D, Lorensen W, Dugan J, Ma J, Murphy S, Kirschner B, Bug W, Sherman M, Floratos A, Kennedy D, Jagadish H V, Schmidt J, Athey B, Califano A, Musen M, Altman R, Kikinis R, Kohane I, Delp S, Parker S, Toga AW. iTools: a framework for classification, categorization and integration of computational biology resources. PLoS One. 2008;3(5):e2265.
The advancement of the computational biology field hinges on progress in three fundamental directions—the development of new computational algorithms, the availability of informatics resource management infrastructures and the capability of tools to interoperate and synergize. There is an explosion in algorithms and tools for computational biology, which makes it difficult for biologists to find, compare and integrate such resources. We describe a new infrastructure, iTools, for managing the query, traversal and comparison of diverse computational biology resources. Specifically, iTools stores information about three types of resources—data, software tools and web-services. The iTools design, implementation and resource meta-data content reflect the broad research, computational, applied and scientific expertise available at the seven National Centers for Biomedical Computing. iTools provides a system for classification, categorization and integration of different computational biology resources across space-and-time scales, biomedical problems, computational infrastructures and mathematical foundations. A large number of resources are already iTools-accessible to the community and this infrastructure is rapidly growing. iTools includes human and machine interfaces to its resource meta-data repository. Investigators or computer programs may utilize these interfaces to search, compare, expand, revise and mine meta-data descriptions of existent computational biology resources. We propose two ways to browse and display the iTools dynamic collection of resources. The first one is based on an ontology of computational biology resources, and the second one is derived from hyperbolic projections of manifolds or complex structures onto planar discs. iTools is an open source project both in terms of the source code development as well as its meta-data content. iTools employs a decentralized, portable, scalable and lightweight framework for long-term resource management. We demonstrate several applications of iTools as a framework for integrated bioinformatics. iTools and the complete details about its specifications, usage and interfaces are available at the iTools web page http://iTools.ccb.ucla.edu.
Dambreville S, Rathi Y, Tannenbaum A. A framework for image segmentation using shape models and kernel space shape priors. IEEE Trans Pattern Anal Mach Intell. 2008;30(8):1385–99.
Segmentation involves separating an object from the background in a given image. The use of image information alone often leads to poor segmentation results due to the presence of noise, clutter or occlusion. The introduction of shape priors in the geometric active contour (GAC) framework has proved to be an effective way to ameliorate some of these problems. In this work, we propose a novel segmentation method combining image information with prior shape knowledge, using level-sets. Following the work of Leventon et al., we propose to revisit the use of PCA to introduce prior knowledge about shapes in a more robust manner. We utilize kernel PCA (KPCA) and show that this method outperforms linear PCA by allowing only those shapes that are close enough to the training data. In our segmentation framework, shape knowledge and image information are encoded into two energy functionals entirely described in terms of shapes. This consistent description permits to fully take advantage of the Kernel PCA methodology and leads to promising segmentation results. In particular, our shape-driven segmentation technique allows for the simultaneous encoding of multiple types of shapes, and offers a convincing level of robustness with respect to noise, occlusions, or smearing.
Niethammer M, Vela PA, Tannenbaum A. Geometric observers for dynamically evolving curves. IEEE Trans Pattern Anal Mach Intell. 2008;30(6):1093–108.
This paper proposes a deterministic observer framework for visual tracking based on non-parametric implicit (level-set) curve descriptions. The observer is continuous-discrete, with continuous-time system dynamics and discrete-time measurements. Its state-space consists of an estimated curve position augmented by additional states (e.g., velocities) associated with every point on the estimated curve. Multiple simulation models are proposed for state prediction. Measurements are performed through standard static segmentation algorithms and optical-flow computations. Special emphasis is given to the geometric formulation of the overall dynamical system. The discrete-time measurements lead to the problem of geometric curve interpolation and the discrete-time filtering of quantities propagated along with the estimated curve. Interpolation and filtering are intimately linked to the correspondence problem between curves. Correspondences are established by a Laplace-equation approach. The proposed scheme is implemented completely implicitly (by Eulerian numerical solutions of transport equations) and thus naturally allows for topological changes and subpixel accuracy on the computational grid.
Ouyang J, Fakhri GE, Moore SC. Improved activity estimation with MC-JOSEM versus TEW-JOSEM in 111In SPECT. Med Phys. 2008;35(5):2029–40.
We have previously developed a fast Monte Carlo (MC)-based joint ordered-subset expectation maximization (JOSEM) iterative reconstruction algorithm, MC-JOSEM. A phantom study was performed to compare quantitative imaging performance of MC-JOSEM with that of a triple-energy-window approach (TEW) in which estimated scatter was also included additively within JOSEM, TEW-JOSEM. We acquired high-count projections of a 5.5 cm3 sphere of 111In at different locations in the water-filled torso phantom; high-count projections were then obtained with 111In only in the liver or only in the soft-tissue background compartment, so that we could generate synthetic projections for spheres surrounded by various activity distributions. MC scatter estimates used by MC-JOSEM were computed once after five iterations of TEW-JOSEM. Images of different combinations of liver/background and sphere/background activity concentration ratios were reconstructed by both TEW-JOSEM and MC-JOSEM for 40 iterations. For activity estimation in the sphere, MC-JOSEM always produced better relative bias and relative standard deviation than TEW-JOSEM for each sphere location, iteration number, and activity combination. The average relative bias of activity estimates in the sphere for MC-JOSEM after 40 iterations was -6.9%, versus -15.8% for TEW-JOSEM, while the average relative standard deviation of the sphere activity estimates was 16.1% for MC-JOSEM, versus 27.4% for TEW-JOSEM. Additionally, the average relative bias of activity concentration estimates in the liver and the background for MC-JOSEM after 40 iterations was -3.9%, versus -12.2% for TEW-JOSEM, while the average relative standard deviation of these estimates was 2.5% for MC-JOSEM, versus 3.4% for TEW-JOSEM. MC-JOSEM is a promising approach for quantitative activity estimation in 111In SPECT.
Michailovich O, Tannenbaum A. Dynamic denoising of tracking sequences. IEEE Trans Image Process. 2008;17(6):847–56.
In this paper, we describe an approach to the problem of simultaneously enhancing image sequences and tracking the objects of interest represented by the latter. The enhancement part of the algorithm is based on Bayesian wavelet denoising, which has been chosen due to its exceptional ability to incorporate diverse a priori information into the process of image recovery. In particular, we demonstrate that, in dynamic settings, useful statistical priors can come both from some reasonable assumptions on the properties of the image to be enhanced as well as from the images that have already been observed before the current scene. Using such priors forms the main contribution of the present paper which is the proposal of the dynamic denoising as a tool for simultaneously enhancing and tracking image sequences. Within the proposed framework, the previous observations of a dynamic scene are employed to enhance its present observation. The mechanism that allows the fusion of the information within successive image frames is Bayesian estimation, while transferring the useful information between the images is governed by a Kalman filter that is used for both prediction and estimation of the dynamics of tracked objects. Therefore, in this methodology, the processes of target tracking and image enhancement "collaborate" in an interlacing manner, rather than being applied separately. The dynamic denoising is demonstrated on several examples of SAR imagery. The results demonstrated in this paper indicate a number of advantages of the proposed dynamic denoising over "static" approaches, in which the tracking images are enhanced independently of each other.
Warfield SK, Zou KH, Wells WM III. Validation of Image Segmentation by Estimating Rater Bias and Variance. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2008;366(1874):2361–75.
The accuracy and precision of segmentations of medical images has been difficult to quantify in the absence of a ground truth or reference standard segmentation for clinical data. Although physical or digital phantoms can help by providing a reference standard, they do not allow the reproduction of the full range of imaging and anatomical characteristics observed in clinical data. An alternative assessment approach is to compare with segmentations generated by domain experts. Segmentations may be generated by raters who are trained experts or by automated image analysis algorithms. Typically, these segmentations differ due to intra-rater and inter-rater variability. The most appropriate way to compare such segmentations has been unclear. We present here a new algorithm to enable the estimation of performance characteristics, and a true labelling, from observations of segmentations of imaging data where segmentation labels may be ordered or continuous measures. This approach may be used with, among others, surface, distance transform or level-set representations of segmentations, and can be used to assess whether or not a rater consistently overestimates or underestimates the position of a boundary.
Hershkovits E, Tannenbaum A, Tannenbaum R. Adsorption of Block Copolymers from Selective Solvents on Curved Surfaces. Macromolecules. 2008;41(9):3190–3198.
We have investigated the adsorption of asymmetric poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) block copolymers (PS-PMMA) from a selective solvent onto alumina (Al(2)O(3)) particles having variable and controllable radii. The solvent used was a bad solvent for the PS block (block A) and a good solvent for the PMMA block (block B), which has a higher affinity of the surface. Such a case represents a new class of adsorption, where both blocks compete for the adsorption sites of the metallic surface. Two theoretical models, the modified drops model and the perforated film model, have been evaluated as appropriate representation of such an adsorption scenario. The experimental results indicated that the adsorption of the PS-PMMA block copolymer generated a patterned surface comprised of a homogeneous melt layer of the PS block perforated with holes having a variable PMMA structure, depending on the distance from the bottom of the hole (alumina surface) and the distance from walls of the hole. The density gradient of the PMMA moiety in the hole reverted to the classical brush morphology at a critical distance from the surface of the hole.
Rosenberger G, Kubicki M, Nestor PG, Connor E, Bushell GB, Markant D, Niznikiewicz M, Westin CF, Kikinis R, Saykin AJ, McCarley RW, Shenton ME. Age-related deficits in fronto-temporal connections in schizophrenia: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Schizophr Res. 2008;102(1-3):181–8.
OBJECTIVE: Impairment of white matter connecting frontal and temporal cortices has been reported in schizophrenia. Yet, not much is known about the effects of age on fibers connecting these brain regions. Using diffusion tensor imaging tractography, we investigated the relationship between age and fiber integrity in patients with schizophrenia vs. healthy adults. METHODS: DTI tractography was used to create 3D reconstructions of the cingulum, uncinate and inferior occipito-frontal fasciculi in 27 patients with schizophrenia and 34 healthy volunteers (23-56 years of age, group-matched on age). Fractional anisotropy (FA), describing fiber integrity, was then calculated along the entire length of these tracts, and correlated with subjects’ age. RESULTS: Patients revealed a significant decline in FA with age in both the cingulum and uncinate, but not in the inferior occipito-frontal fasciculi. No statistically significant correlations were found in these fiber bundles in controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest an age-associated reduction of frontal-temporal connectivity in schizophrenia, but not in healthy controls.