Open AccessTopological Analysis for Arteriovenous Malformations via Computed Tomography Angiography
Author(s) -
Yuki Hata,
Keigo Osuga,
Shinya Uehara,
Kenji Yano,
Mamoru Kikuchi,
Koichi Tomita,
Ken Matsuda,
Tateki Kubo,
Takashi Fujiwara,
Ko Hosokawa
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plastic and reconstructive surgery. global open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.759
H-Index - 28
ISSN - 2169-7574
DOI - 10.1097/gox.0000000000000151
Subject(s) - lumen (anatomy) , medicine , lesion , radiology , angiography , loop (graph theory) , computed tomography , soft tissue , nuclear medicine , mathematics , pathology , surgery , combinatorics
Background: In a previous study, the authors outlined a technique for calculating the number of abnormal vascular loop structures described in 3-dimensional computed tomography angiography. To be developed into a quantitative evaluation method for soft-tissue arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), the concept needs assessment of validity.Methods: Computed tomography angiography results of 19 soft-tissue AVMs and 18 control abdominal vessels are utilized. Enhanced vascular lumen regions over 120 HU were extracted by a region growing method and skeletonized into wire frame graph models. The number of vascular loop structures in graphs is calculated as 1 − [Number of nodes] + [Number of edges], and results are compared between AVM/control groups, pre-/postprogression, and pre-/posttreatment.Results: Average vascular lumen capacity of AVMs was 57.5 ml/lesion, and average number of vascular loops was 548 loops/lesion. Loop density of AVMs (weighted average, 9.5 loops/ml) exhibited statistically significant (P < 0.001) greater value than normal abdominal blood vessels (weighted average, 1.3 loops/ml). In all 4 cases without treatment, number of loops and loop density both increased. Particularly, number of loops increased greatly by 2 times or more in 3 cases. In all 7 cases with treatment, number of loops and vascular lumen capacity significantly (P = 0.0156) decreased. Particularly, number of loops showed clearer decrease in cases with entire lesion treatment than partial treatment.Conclusions: Total number of described vascular loop structures and their density or volume well reflected the existence, progression, and remission of soft-tissue AVMs. Topological analysis can be expected to be developed into a quantitative evaluation for AVMs