Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has shown promising results in diagnosing myocarditis that can be qualitatively observed as enhanced pixels on the cardiac muscles images. In this paper, a myocarditis index, defined as the ratio between enhanced pixels, representing an inflammation, and the total pixels of myocardial muscle, is presented. In order to recognize and quantify enhanced pixels, a PCA-based recognition algorithm is used. The algorithm, implemented in Matlab, was tested by examining a group of 10 patients, referred to MRI with presumptive, clinical diagnosis of myocarditis. To assess intra- and interobserver variability, two observers blindly analyzed data related to the 10 patients by delimiting myocardial region and selecting enhanced pixels. After 5 days the same observers redid the analysis. The obtained myocarditis indexes were compared to an ordinal variable (values in the 1 - 5 range) that represented the blind assessment of myocarditis seriousness given by two radiologists on the base of the patient case histories. Results show that there is a significant correlation (P < 0:001; r = 0:94) between myocarditis indexes and the radiologists' clinical judgments. Furthermore, a good intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility was obtained.

An MRI myocarditis index defined by a PCA-based object recognition algorithm

Romano, Rocco;Acernese, Fausto;Giordano, Gerardo;Orientale, Antonio;Babino, Giovanni;Barone, Fabrizio
2015-01-01

Abstract

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has shown promising results in diagnosing myocarditis that can be qualitatively observed as enhanced pixels on the cardiac muscles images. In this paper, a myocarditis index, defined as the ratio between enhanced pixels, representing an inflammation, and the total pixels of myocardial muscle, is presented. In order to recognize and quantify enhanced pixels, a PCA-based recognition algorithm is used. The algorithm, implemented in Matlab, was tested by examining a group of 10 patients, referred to MRI with presumptive, clinical diagnosis of myocarditis. To assess intra- and interobserver variability, two observers blindly analyzed data related to the 10 patients by delimiting myocardial region and selecting enhanced pixels. After 5 days the same observers redid the analysis. The obtained myocarditis indexes were compared to an ordinal variable (values in the 1 - 5 range) that represented the blind assessment of myocarditis seriousness given by two radiologists on the base of the patient case histories. Results show that there is a significant correlation (P < 0:001; r = 0:94) between myocarditis indexes and the radiologists' clinical judgments. Furthermore, a good intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility was obtained.
2015
9781628414912
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11386/4708492
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