Ultrasound image based human gallbladder 3D modelling along with volume and stress level assessment

Li, W. (2020) Ultrasound image based human gallbladder 3D modelling along with volume and stress level assessment. Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering, 40, pp. 112-127. (doi: 10.1007/s40846-019-00493-8)

Abstract

Purpose: Three-dimensional (3D) gallbladder (GB) geometrical models are essential to GB motor function evaluation and GB wall biomechanical property identification by employing finite element analysis (FEA) in GB disease diagnosis with ultrasound systems. Methods for establishing such 3D geometrical models based on static two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound images scanned along the long-axis/sagittal and short-axis/transverse cross-sections in routine GB disease diagnosis at the beginning of emptying phase have not been documented in the literature so far. Methods: Based on two custom MATLAB codes composed, two images were segmented manually to secure two sets of the scattered points for the long- and short-axis GB cross-section edges; and the points were best fitted with a piecewise cubic spline function, and the short-axis cross-section edges were lofted along the long-axis to yield a 3D geometrical model, then GB volume of the model was figured out. The model was read into SolidWorks for real surface generation and involved in ABAQUS for FEA. Results: 3D geometrical models of seven typical GB samples were established. Their GB volumes are with 15.5% and − 4.4% mean errors in comparison with those estimated with the ellipsoid model and sum-of-cylinders method but can be correlated to the latter very well. The maximum first principal in-plane stress in the 3D models is higher than in the ellipsoid model by a factor of 1.76. Conclusions: A numerical method was put forward here to create 3D GB geometrical models and can be applied to GB disease diagnosis and GB shape analysis with principal component method potentially in the future.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Li, Dr Wenguang
• Authors: Li, W.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy; College of Science and Engineering > School of Mathematics and Statistics
• Journal Name: Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1609-0985
• ISSN (Online): 2199-4757
• Published Online: 24 September 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering 40:112-127
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License