Key result
A proposed segmentation algorithm for left atrial fibrosis quantification in DE-MRI produced good concordance with expert manual delineations in 15 clinical datasets.
An automated graph-cut based segmentation algorithm provides standardized quantification of left atrial scar from DE-MRI, overcoming the interobserver variability associated with manual or fixed-threshold methods.
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May standardize LA fibrosis quantification; leaves open prospective validation in larger cohorts before clinical use.
Delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) is an effective technique for detecting left atrial (LA) fibrosis both pre and postradiofrequency ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Fixed thresholding models are frequently utilized clinically to segment and quantify scar in DE-MRI due to their simplicity. These methods fail to provide a standardized quantification due to interobserver variability. Quantification of scar can be used as an endpoint in clinical studies and therefore standardization is important. In this paper, we propose a segmentation algorithm for LA fibrosis quantification and investigate its performance. The algorithm was validated using numerical phantoms and 15 clinical data sets from patients undergoing LA ablation. We demonstrate that the approach produces good concordance with expert manual delineations. The method offers a standardized quantification technique for evaluation and interpretation of DE-MRI scans.
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Karim et al. (2014) studied Atrial fibrillation (n=15). Segmentation algorithm for LA fibrosis quantification vs. Expert manual delineations was evaluated on Concordance with expert manual delineations. A proposed segmentation algorithm for left atrial fibrosis quantification in DE-MRI produced good concordance with expert manual delineations in 15 clinical datasets.
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