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  • Title: Computerized delineation and analysis of costophrenic angles in digital chest radiographs.
    Author: Armato SG, Giger ML, MacMahon H.
    Journal: Acad Radiol; 1998 May; 5(5):329-35. PubMed ID: 9597100.
    Abstract:
    RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The authors developed a computerized method for delineating the costophrenic angles in digital posteroanterior chest radiographs to derive quantitative information that allows for detection of abnormal blunting of the costophrenic angle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An automated lung-segmentation scheme was used, and small regions of interest were placed in the approximate position of the costophrenic angles in 600 clinical posteroanterior chest radiographs to define a subimage for further analysis. The diaphragmatic aspect of the costophrenic angle was delineated based on column-wise contrast information, and the costal aspect was delineated based on row-wise gray-level maxima. The angle formed by the convergence of these two aspects provided the basis for assessing abnormality. Curve fitting was then performed on these segments to form a continuous costophrenic angle delineation. RESULTS: The computer-determined angles for 1,166 hemithoraces were compared with independent diagnostic assessments by a radiologist. An encouraging level of agreement was found between these two measurements, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve attaining a value of 0.83. CONCLUSION: This delineation method enhances the automated lung-segmentation scheme. Quantitative information obtained from the costophrenic angles can be used for automatic evaluation of the presence of costophrenic angle blunting, which may indicate the presence of pleural effusion.
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