Computer-Aided Cobb Measurement Based on Automatic Detection of Vertebral Slopes Using Deep Neural Network

Objective. To develop a computer-aided method that reduces the variability of Cobb angle measurement for scoliosis assessment. Methods. A deep neural network (DNN) was trained with vertebral patches extracted from spinal model radiographs. The Cobb angle of the spinal curve was calculated automatica...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Junhua Zhang, Hongjian Li, Liang Lv, Yufeng Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-01-01
Series:International Journal of Biomedical Imaging
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/9083916
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849413429194915840
author Junhua Zhang
Hongjian Li
Liang Lv
Yufeng Zhang
author_facet Junhua Zhang
Hongjian Li
Liang Lv
Yufeng Zhang
author_sort Junhua Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Objective. To develop a computer-aided method that reduces the variability of Cobb angle measurement for scoliosis assessment. Methods. A deep neural network (DNN) was trained with vertebral patches extracted from spinal model radiographs. The Cobb angle of the spinal curve was calculated automatically from the vertebral slopes predicted by the DNN. Sixty-five in vivo radiographs and 40 model radiographs were analyzed. An experienced surgeon performed manual measurements on the aforementioned radiographs. Two examiners used both the proposed and the manual measurement methods to analyze the aforementioned radiographs. Results. For model radiographs, the intraclass correlation coefficients were greater than 0.98, and the mean absolute differences were less than 3°. This indicates that the proposed system showed high repeatability for measurements of model radiographs. For the in vivo radiographs, the reliabilities were lower than those from the model radiographs, and the differences between the computer-aided measurement and the manual measurement by the surgeon were higher than 5°. Conclusion. The variability of Cobb angle measurements can be reduced if the DNN system is trained with enough vertebral patches. Training data of in vivo radiographs must be included to improve the performance of DNN. Significance. Vertebral slopes can be predicted by DNN. The computer-aided system can be used to perform automatic measurements of Cobb angle, which is used to make reliable and objective assessments of scoliosis.
format Article
id doaj-art-69b0a63d5505465798e95b17f00b9be0
institution Kabale University
issn 1687-4188
1687-4196
language English
publishDate 2017-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series International Journal of Biomedical Imaging
spelling doaj-art-69b0a63d5505465798e95b17f00b9be02025-08-20T03:34:08ZengWileyInternational Journal of Biomedical Imaging1687-41881687-41962017-01-01201710.1155/2017/90839169083916Computer-Aided Cobb Measurement Based on Automatic Detection of Vertebral Slopes Using Deep Neural NetworkJunhua Zhang0Hongjian Li1Liang Lv2Yufeng Zhang3Department of Electronic Engineering, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650032, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650032, ChinaDepartment of Electronic Engineering, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, ChinaObjective. To develop a computer-aided method that reduces the variability of Cobb angle measurement for scoliosis assessment. Methods. A deep neural network (DNN) was trained with vertebral patches extracted from spinal model radiographs. The Cobb angle of the spinal curve was calculated automatically from the vertebral slopes predicted by the DNN. Sixty-five in vivo radiographs and 40 model radiographs were analyzed. An experienced surgeon performed manual measurements on the aforementioned radiographs. Two examiners used both the proposed and the manual measurement methods to analyze the aforementioned radiographs. Results. For model radiographs, the intraclass correlation coefficients were greater than 0.98, and the mean absolute differences were less than 3°. This indicates that the proposed system showed high repeatability for measurements of model radiographs. For the in vivo radiographs, the reliabilities were lower than those from the model radiographs, and the differences between the computer-aided measurement and the manual measurement by the surgeon were higher than 5°. Conclusion. The variability of Cobb angle measurements can be reduced if the DNN system is trained with enough vertebral patches. Training data of in vivo radiographs must be included to improve the performance of DNN. Significance. Vertebral slopes can be predicted by DNN. The computer-aided system can be used to perform automatic measurements of Cobb angle, which is used to make reliable and objective assessments of scoliosis.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/9083916
spellingShingle Junhua Zhang
Hongjian Li
Liang Lv
Yufeng Zhang
Computer-Aided Cobb Measurement Based on Automatic Detection of Vertebral Slopes Using Deep Neural Network
International Journal of Biomedical Imaging
title Computer-Aided Cobb Measurement Based on Automatic Detection of Vertebral Slopes Using Deep Neural Network
title_full Computer-Aided Cobb Measurement Based on Automatic Detection of Vertebral Slopes Using Deep Neural Network
title_fullStr Computer-Aided Cobb Measurement Based on Automatic Detection of Vertebral Slopes Using Deep Neural Network
title_full_unstemmed Computer-Aided Cobb Measurement Based on Automatic Detection of Vertebral Slopes Using Deep Neural Network
title_short Computer-Aided Cobb Measurement Based on Automatic Detection of Vertebral Slopes Using Deep Neural Network
title_sort computer aided cobb measurement based on automatic detection of vertebral slopes using deep neural network
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/9083916
work_keys_str_mv AT junhuazhang computeraidedcobbmeasurementbasedonautomaticdetectionofvertebralslopesusingdeepneuralnetwork
AT hongjianli computeraidedcobbmeasurementbasedonautomaticdetectionofvertebralslopesusingdeepneuralnetwork
AT lianglv computeraidedcobbmeasurementbasedonautomaticdetectionofvertebralslopesusingdeepneuralnetwork
AT yufengzhang computeraidedcobbmeasurementbasedonautomaticdetectionofvertebralslopesusingdeepneuralnetwork