Automatic Adaptive Algorithm for Delineation of Cerebral-Spinal Fluid Regions for Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetry and Cisternography in Mice

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an invaluable method of choice for anatomical and functional in vivo imaging of the brain. Still, accurate delineation of the brain structures remains a crucial task of MR image evaluation. This study presents a novel analytical algorithm developed in MATLAB for t...

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Main Author: Ryszard Gomolka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bio-protocol LLC 2025-01-01
Series:Bio-Protocol
Online Access:https://bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?id=5148&type=0
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author Ryszard Gomolka
author_facet Ryszard Gomolka
author_sort Ryszard Gomolka
collection DOAJ
description Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an invaluable method of choice for anatomical and functional in vivo imaging of the brain. Still, accurate delineation of the brain structures remains a crucial task of MR image evaluation. This study presents a novel analytical algorithm developed in MATLAB for the automatic segmentation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces in preclinical non-contrast MR images of the mouse brain. The algorithm employs adaptive thresholding and region growing to accurately and repeatably delineate CSF space regions in 3D constructive interference steady-state (3D-CISS) images acquired using a 9.4 Tesla MR system and a cryogenically cooled transmit/receive resonator. Key steps include computing a bounding box enclosing the brain parenchyma in three dimensions, applying an adaptive intensity threshold, and refining CSF regions independently in sagittal, axial, and coronal planes. In its original application, the algorithm provided objective and repeatable delineation of CSF regions in 3D-CISS images of sub-optimal signal-to-noise ratio, acquired with (33 μm)3 isometric voxel dimensions. It allowed revealing subtle differences in CSF volumes between aquaporin-4-null and wild-type littermate mice, showing robustness and reliability. Despite the increasing use of artificial neural networks in image analysis, this analytical approach provides robustness, especially when the dataset is insufficiently small and limited for training the network. By adjusting parameters, the algorithm is flexible for application in segmenting other types of anatomical structures or other types of 3D images. This automated method significantly reduces the time and effort compared to manual segmentation and offers higher repeatability, making it a valuable tool for preclinical and potentially clinical MRI applications.
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spelling doaj-art-2de512709ac64ee7a442e5340098395a2025-02-07T08:16:31ZengBio-protocol LLCBio-Protocol2331-83252025-01-0115110.21769/BioProtoc.5148Automatic Adaptive Algorithm for Delineation of Cerebral-Spinal Fluid Regions for Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetry and Cisternography in MiceRyszard Gomolka0Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an invaluable method of choice for anatomical and functional in vivo imaging of the brain. Still, accurate delineation of the brain structures remains a crucial task of MR image evaluation. This study presents a novel analytical algorithm developed in MATLAB for the automatic segmentation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces in preclinical non-contrast MR images of the mouse brain. The algorithm employs adaptive thresholding and region growing to accurately and repeatably delineate CSF space regions in 3D constructive interference steady-state (3D-CISS) images acquired using a 9.4 Tesla MR system and a cryogenically cooled transmit/receive resonator. Key steps include computing a bounding box enclosing the brain parenchyma in three dimensions, applying an adaptive intensity threshold, and refining CSF regions independently in sagittal, axial, and coronal planes. In its original application, the algorithm provided objective and repeatable delineation of CSF regions in 3D-CISS images of sub-optimal signal-to-noise ratio, acquired with (33 μm)3 isometric voxel dimensions. It allowed revealing subtle differences in CSF volumes between aquaporin-4-null and wild-type littermate mice, showing robustness and reliability. Despite the increasing use of artificial neural networks in image analysis, this analytical approach provides robustness, especially when the dataset is insufficiently small and limited for training the network. By adjusting parameters, the algorithm is flexible for application in segmenting other types of anatomical structures or other types of 3D images. This automated method significantly reduces the time and effort compared to manual segmentation and offers higher repeatability, making it a valuable tool for preclinical and potentially clinical MRI applications.https://bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?id=5148&type=0
spellingShingle Ryszard Gomolka
Automatic Adaptive Algorithm for Delineation of Cerebral-Spinal Fluid Regions for Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetry and Cisternography in Mice
Bio-Protocol
title Automatic Adaptive Algorithm for Delineation of Cerebral-Spinal Fluid Regions for Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetry and Cisternography in Mice
title_full Automatic Adaptive Algorithm for Delineation of Cerebral-Spinal Fluid Regions for Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetry and Cisternography in Mice
title_fullStr Automatic Adaptive Algorithm for Delineation of Cerebral-Spinal Fluid Regions for Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetry and Cisternography in Mice
title_full_unstemmed Automatic Adaptive Algorithm for Delineation of Cerebral-Spinal Fluid Regions for Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetry and Cisternography in Mice
title_short Automatic Adaptive Algorithm for Delineation of Cerebral-Spinal Fluid Regions for Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetry and Cisternography in Mice
title_sort automatic adaptive algorithm for delineation of cerebral spinal fluid regions for non contrast magnetic resonance imaging volumetry and cisternography in mice
url https://bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?id=5148&type=0
work_keys_str_mv AT ryszardgomolka automaticadaptivealgorithmfordelineationofcerebralspinalfluidregionsfornoncontrastmagneticresonanceimagingvolumetryandcisternographyinmice