A Novel Framework for Integrating 3D Ultrasound into Percutaneous Liver Tumour Ablation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new framework that integrates 3D ultrasound into liver tumour ablation procedures by using a novel 2D US-CT/MRI registration method and visualization techniques, improving registration accuracy and workflow efficiency.

Contribution

The work presents a clinically viable 2D US-CT/MRI registration approach using 3D US as an intermediary, along with visualization tools, to enhance 3D US integration in liver tumour ablation.

Findings

Registration error of 2-4 mm achieved

Non-rigid registration reduced alignment error by 40%

Workflow demonstrated effective integration of 3D US in clinical setting

Abstract

3D ultrasound (US) imaging has shown significant benefits in enhancing the outcomes of percutaneous liver tumour ablation. Its clinical integration is crucial for transitioning 3D US into the therapeutic domain. However, challenges of tumour identification in US images continue to hinder its broader adoption. In this work, we propose a novel framework for integrating 3D US into the standard ablation workflow. We present a key component, a clinically viable 2D US-CT/MRI registration approach, leveraging 3D US as an intermediary to reduce registration complexity. To facilitate efficient verification of the registration workflow, we also propose an intuitive multimodal image visualization technique. In our study, 2D US-CT/MRI registration achieved a landmark distance error of approximately 2-4 mm with a runtime of 0.22s per image pair. Additionally, non-rigid registration reduced the mean alignment error by approximately 40% compared to rigid registration. Results demonstrated the efficacy of the proposed 2D US-CT/MRI registration workflow. Our integration framework advanced the capabilities of 3D US imaging in improving percutaneous tumour ablation, demonstrating the potential to expand the therapeutic role of 3D US in clinical interventions.