ISSN 1004-4140
    CN 11-3017/P

    基于U-HRCT的内耳亚结构标注规范构建与验证

    Construction and Validation of U-HRCT-based Annotation Specifications for Inner Ear Substructures

    • 摘要: 目的:针对内耳CT亚结构智能分割模型训练及定量指标精准测量对人工标注数据一致性要求高、标注规范缺乏导致标注偏差大、数据碎片化的问题,本文提出一套体系化内耳亚结构像素级标注规范,旨在解决不同亚结构间边界不明确、人工标注不一致的问题,促进多中心合作及相关技术的临床落地。方法:基于U-HRCT图像,以外半规管最大显示平面为校准扫描层面,将内耳骨迷路细分为耳蜗、前庭、上半规管(不含总脚)、外半规管、后半规管(不含总脚)及总脚6个独立的亚结构,明确各结构边界定义;并结合轴-冠-矢三视图校验进行二级质控流程,统一所有文件格式。选取非术后内耳超高分力CT(U-HRCT)图像,由标注经验相当的19名标注员分为培训组与未培训组进行对比实验,分别采用相关系数统计和Mann-Whitney U检验进行评分可信度和标注质量的对比分析。结果:培训组各亚结构标注的解剖学一致性及标注质量评分显著高于未培训组,且专家评分结果一致性较高。结论:本规范将总脚纳入单独亚结构范畴,建立内耳亚结构像素级标注规范,有效提升人工标注的精准度,为智能分割模型训练及定量参数测量提供了高质量数据,推动多中心数据共享与内耳相关技术的临床落地,具有重要临床与科研价值。

       

      Abstract: Objective: Manually annotated data are required for training intelligent segmentation models of computed tomography-scanned inner ear substructures and performing precise measurement of quantitative indicators. To address the high demand for consistency in such data as well as the critical issues of large annotation biases and data fragmentation caused by the lack of standardized annotation protocols, we propose herein a systematic pixel-level annotation specification for inner ear substructures. The purpose of this specification is to resolve the problems of ambiguous boundaries between different substructures and inconsistent manual annotation, thereby facilitating multicenter collaboration and the clinical translation of related technologies. Methods: On the basis of ultra-high-resolution computed tomography (U-HRCT) images, with the lateral semicircular canal used as the calibration reference for aligning the scan slices to the plane of maximum visualization, the bony labyrinth of the inner ear was subdivided into six independent substructures: the cochlea, vestibule, superior semicircular canal (excluding the common crus), lateral semicircular canal, posterior semicircular canal (excluding the common crus), and common crus, with explicit boundary definitions for each structure. A two-level quality control process was implemented in combination with axial-coronal-sagittal three-view verification, and all file formats were standardized. U-HRCT images of inner ears untouched by prior surgery were used in the study. Nineteen annotators with comparable annotation experience were enrolled and divided into a trained group and an untrained group for comparison of their scoring reliability and annotation quality, the results of which were analyzed using correlation coefficient statistics and the Mann-Whitney U test, respectively. Results: The anatomical conformity and annotation quality scores of all substructures were significantly higher in the trained group than in the untrained group, and the inter-expert agreement of evaluation results was favorable. Conclusion: This specification incorporates the common crus as an independent substructure and establishes a pixel-level annotation specification for inner ear substructures. It effectively improves the accuracy of manual annotation, provides high-quality data for training intelligent segmentation models and measuring quantitative parameters, and facilitates multicenter data sharing and the clinical translation of inner ear-related technologies, thus possessing important clinical and scientific research value.

       

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