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J. Imaging
Special Issues
New Perspectives in Medical Image Analysis
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New Perspectives in Medical Image Analysis

A special issue of Journal of Imaging (ISSN 2313-433X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 7206

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jeff L. Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Biomedical Engineering, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
Interests: magnetic resonance imaging; kidney; skeletal muscle; physiologic modeling; image processing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With recent advances in both medical imaging modalities and image analysis techniques, the field of medical imaging has evolved into a new era. Nowadays, radiologists do not simply look at medical images to localize bone fractures or tumors, but more ambitiously aim to identify findings of more subtlety, such as organ function, diseases with little or no structural abnormality, or the recovery of a disease being treatment. These aims can be achieved with medical image analysis, a subject that combines expertise from a variety of disciplines, including mathematics, computer science, physics and medicine. In this Special Issue, we aim to present a selection of high-quality studies that demonstrate the use of medical image analysis to improve diagnostic capability for a significant disease, or to reveal important or interesting physiologic or microstructural features of organs or tissues. 

Dr. Jeff L. Zhang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Imaging is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • medical imaging
  • medical image analysis
  • diagnosis
  • magnetic resonance imaging
  • computed tomography
  • positron emission tomography
  • ultrasound
  • deep learning
  • physiologic modeling
  • functional imaging

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 3523 KiB  
Article
Bright Luminal Sign on High b-Value Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Enterography Imaging as a New Biomarker to Predict Fibrotic Strictures in Crohn’s Disease Patients: A Retrospective Preliminary Study
by Luca Pio Stoppino, Stefano Piscone, Ottavia Quarta Colosso, Sara Saccone, Paola Milillo, Nicola Della Valle, Rodolfo Sacco, Alfonso Reginelli, Luca Macarini and Roberta Vinci
J. Imaging 2024, 10(11), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging10110283 - 7 Nov 2024
Viewed by 553
Abstract
A retrospective analysis was conducted to investigate how a bright luminal sign on high b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) could be considered as a new biomarker for identifying fibrotic strictures in Crohn’s disease (CD). Fibrotic strictures, due to excessive deposition of extracellular matrix following [...] Read more.
A retrospective analysis was conducted to investigate how a bright luminal sign on high b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) could be considered as a new biomarker for identifying fibrotic strictures in Crohn’s disease (CD). Fibrotic strictures, due to excessive deposition of extracellular matrix following chronic inflammatory processes, can be difficult to distinguish from inflammatory strictures using endoscopy. This study was performed on 65 patients with CD who underwent MRE, and among them 32 patients showed the bright luminal sign on high b-value DWI. DWI findings were compared to pre- and post-contrast MRE data. Luminal bright sign performance results were calculated using a confusion matrix, the relationship between categorical variables was assessed by the χ2 test of independence, and the Kruskal–Wallis test (ANOVA) was used for the assessment of statistical significance of differences between groups. The results indicated a high sensitivity (90%) and specificity (85%) of the bright luminal sign for fibro-stenotic CD and a significant correlation between DWI luminal brightness and markers such as the homogeneous enhancement pattern (p < 0.001), increase in enhancement percentage from 70 s to 7 min after gadolinium injection (p < 0.001), and submucosal fat penetration (p = 0.05). These findings indicate that DWI hyperintensity can be considered as a good non-invasive indicator for the detection of severe intestinal fibrosis and may provide an efficient and accurate method for assessing fibrotic strictures. This new non-invasive biomarker could allow an early diagnosis of fibrotic stricture, delaying the onset of complications and subsequent surgery. Moreover, further evaluations through larger prospective trials with histopathological correlation are needed to confirm these results and completely determine the clinical benefits of DWI in treating CD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Medical Image Analysis)
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11 pages, 3819 KiB  
Article
Toward the Application of Dual-Energy Computed Tomography with Virtual Non-Hydroxyapatite Color-Coded Maps to Identify Traumatic Fractures in Daily Emergency Settings
by Claudio Ventura, Laura Maria Cacioppa, Sonia Caldarelli, Giovanni Sallei, Federico Lamponi, Marco Mascitti, Marina Carotti, Chiara Floridi and Gianluca Valeri
J. Imaging 2024, 10(11), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging10110267 - 23 Oct 2024
Viewed by 695
Abstract
To evaluate the advantages of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) virtual non-hydroxyapatite color mapping (VNHAP) in combination with standard bone CT (BCT) in the identification of subtle or occult traumatic fractures referred to emergency and acceptance departments (DEAs). Forty patients (22 men; mean age [...] Read more.
To evaluate the advantages of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) virtual non-hydroxyapatite color mapping (VNHAP) in combination with standard bone CT (BCT) in the identification of subtle or occult traumatic fractures referred to emergency and acceptance departments (DEAs). Forty patients (22 men; mean age 83 ± 23.7 y) with suspected traumatic fractures referred to our emergency department and examined with a fast kilovoltage-switching single-source spectral CT scan between January and October 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. The BCT and VNHAP images were blindly evaluated by two radiologists with >10 years and <2 years of experience in musculoskeletal imaging. Both techniques were evaluated in terms of sensitivity (SE), specificity (SP), positive and negative predictive values (PPVs and NPVs) and accuracy for fracture detection, as confirmed at a 3-month clinical–instrumental follow-up. Inter-observer agreement and examination times were also analyzed. Fractures were confirmed in 18/40 cases. The highest values of diagnostic performance for VNHAP images were obtained in terms of SP (90.9% and 95%) and PPV (87.5% and 92.8%) and for the less experienced operator. No statistically significant differences were observed between the diagnostic accuracy of the two readers in the evaluation of VNHAP images. Inter-observer agreement was moderate (κ = 0.536) for BCT and substantial (κ = 0.680) for VNHAP. Comparing the two operators, a significantly longer examination time for BCT and no significant difference for VNHAP were registered. Our preliminary experience may encourage the employment of VNHAP maps in combination with BCT images in emergency settings. Their use could be time-saving and valuable in terms of diagnostic performance, especially for less experienced operators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Medical Image Analysis)
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Review

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23 pages, 4511 KiB  
Review
Image Analysis in Histopathology and Cytopathology: From Early Days to Current Perspectives
by Tibor Mezei, Melinda Kolcsár, András Joó and Simona Gurzu
J. Imaging 2024, 10(10), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging10100252 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 2501
Abstract
Both pathology and cytopathology still rely on recognizing microscopical morphologic features, and image analysis plays a crucial role, enabling the identification, categorization, and characterization of different tissue types, cell populations, and disease states within microscopic images. Historically, manual methods have been the primary [...] Read more.
Both pathology and cytopathology still rely on recognizing microscopical morphologic features, and image analysis plays a crucial role, enabling the identification, categorization, and characterization of different tissue types, cell populations, and disease states within microscopic images. Historically, manual methods have been the primary approach, relying on expert knowledge and experience of pathologists to interpret microscopic tissue samples. Early image analysis methods were often constrained by computational power and the complexity of biological samples. The advent of computers and digital imaging technologies challenged the exclusivity of human eye vision and brain computational skills, transforming the diagnostic process in these fields. The increasing digitization of pathological images has led to the application of more objective and efficient computer-aided analysis techniques. Significant advancements were brought about by the integration of digital pathology, machine learning, and advanced imaging technologies. The continuous progress in machine learning and the increasing availability of digital pathology data offer exciting opportunities for the future. Furthermore, artificial intelligence has revolutionized this field, enabling predictive models that assist in diagnostic decision making. The future of pathology and cytopathology is predicted to be marked by advancements in computer-aided image analysis. The future of image analysis is promising, and the increasing availability of digital pathology data will invariably lead to enhanced diagnostic accuracy and improved prognostic predictions that shape personalized treatment strategies, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Medical Image Analysis)
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20 pages, 5589 KiB  
Review
Radiological Diagnosis and Advances in Imaging of Vertebral Compression Fractures
by Kathleen H. Miao, Julia H. Miao, Puneet Belani, Etan Dayan, Timothy A. Carlon, Turgut Bora Cengiz and Mark Finkelstein
J. Imaging 2024, 10(10), 244; https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging10100244 - 28 Sep 2024
Viewed by 2735
Abstract
Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) affect 1.4 million patients every year, especially among the globally aging population, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Often characterized with symptoms of sudden onset back pain, decreased vertebral height, progressive kyphosis, and limited mobility, VCFs can significantly impact [...] Read more.
Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) affect 1.4 million patients every year, especially among the globally aging population, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Often characterized with symptoms of sudden onset back pain, decreased vertebral height, progressive kyphosis, and limited mobility, VCFs can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life and are a significant public health concern. Imaging modalities in radiology, including radiographs, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET) studies and bone scans, play crucial and evolving roles in the diagnosis, assessment, and management of VCFs. An understanding of anatomy, and the extent to which each imaging modality serves to elucidate that anatomy, is crucial in understanding and providing guidance on fracture severity, classification, associated soft tissue injuries, underlying pathologies, and bone mineral density, ultimately guiding treatment decisions, monitoring treatment response, and predicting prognosis and long-term outcomes. This article thus explores the important role of radiology in illuminating the underlying anatomy and pathophysiology, classification, diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with VCFs. Continued research and advancements in imaging technologies will further enhance our understanding of VCFs and pave the way for personalized and effective management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Medical Image Analysis)
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