Automatic Virtual Colonoscopy Based Diagnostic Decision Support System for Colorectal Cancer Screening

Project IKTA5-058/2002 Infocommunications Technologies and Applications Research & Development Division, Ministry of Education, Hungary http://www.om.hu/iktaProject Duration: March 2003 Sept 2004

ParticipantsCo-ordinator:Semmelweis University, Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Onkotherapy, Budapest Home page: http://www.sote.hu Address: H-1082 Budapest, lli t 78/a Tel.: (36-1)-2100307 Project leader: Tarjn Zsolt Dr. Consortium members:Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Control Engineering and Information Technology, Budapest Home page: http://www.iit.bme.hu Team leader: Szirmay-Kalos Lszl Prof. KDBR Consulting Kft., Budapest Home page: http://www.kdbr.hu Team leader: Kuhr Jnos

Scientific BackgroundKeywords:Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, Cancer Screening, Radiology, Computer Tomography, Virtual Endoscopy, Virtual Colonoscopy, Computer Graphics, Volume Rendering, Image Processing, Decision Support Related publications by the participants at:European Congress of Radiology, Wien, 20013rd National Conference on Image Processing and Shape Recognition, Domaszk, Hungary, 2002First Hungarian Computer Graphics and Geometry Conference, Budapest, 2002Winter School on Computer Graphics, 20033rd Conference on 3D Imaging and Virtual Endoscopy, Rome, 2002

Motivation6000 people die yearly because of colorectal cancer in Hungary.Early detection could reduce fatalities to one third.Because of associated discomfort only few asymptomatic patients would undergo traditional screening by colonoscopy.

Traditional ColonoscopyVideo colonoscopyEndoscopic treatment

Virtual ColonoscopyCT scanAxial cross-sectionalimages setVolumetric dataset (voxel array)Virtual colonoscopy viewVisualization algorithms

GoalsThe aim of the project is to develop a complex alternative screening method for colorectal cancer and preceding conditions.

Research focuses on:less burdening patient preparation,suitable CT protocol,automated virtual colonoscopy software,fecal tagging algorithm,handling noisy, low dosage CT data,computer aided semi-automated decision support.

Software Engineering ProblemsProcessing large volumetric datasets at interactive speedDirect volume visualizationEfficient user friendly interfaceSemi-automated navigationFecal taggingAutomated polyp detectionDiagnostic decision support

Virtual Colonoscopy Software

Challenges in RadiologyFast patient preparationEfficient and comfortable cleansing, contrasting and inflationCT protocol to minimize X-ray dosageEnsuring high diagnostic sensitivity