Optimizing Non-Intersecting Synthetic Vascular Trees in Nonconvex Organs

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Autorschaft

  • Etienne Jessen
  • Marc C. Steinbach
  • Dominik Schillinger

Organisationseinheiten

Externe Organisationen

  • Technische Universität Darmstadt
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Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)2871-2881
Seitenumfang11
FachzeitschriftIEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering
Jahrgang72
Ausgabenummer10
Frühes Online-Datum27 März 2025
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 15 Sept. 2025

Abstract

Objective: The understanding of the mechanisms driving vascular development is still limited. Techniques to generate vascular trees synthetically have been developed to tackle this problem. However, most algorithms are limited to single trees inside convex perfusion volumes. We introduce a new framework for generating multiple trees inside general nonconvex perfusion volumes. Methods: Our framework combines topology optimization and global geometry optimization into a single algorithmic approach. Our first contribution is defining a baseline problem based on Murray's original formulation, which accommodates efficient solution algorithms. The problem of finding the global minimum is cast into a nonlinear optimization problem (NLP) with merely super-linear solution effort. Our second contribution extends the NLP to constrain multiple vascular trees inside any nonconvex boundary while avoiding intersections. We test our framework against a benchmark of an anatomic region of brain tissue and a vasculature of the human liver. Results: In all cases, the total tree energy is improved significantly compared to local approaches. Conclusion: By avoiding intersections globally, we can reproduce key physiological features such as parallel running inflow vessels and tortuous vessels. Significance: The ability to generate non-intersecting vascular trees inside nonconvex organs can improve the functional assessment of organs.

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Zitieren

Optimizing Non-Intersecting Synthetic Vascular Trees in Nonconvex Organs. / Jessen, Etienne; Steinbach, Marc C.; Schillinger, Dominik.
in: IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, Jahrgang 72, Nr. 10, 15.09.2025, S. 2871-2881.

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Jessen E, Steinbach MC, Schillinger D. Optimizing Non-Intersecting Synthetic Vascular Trees in Nonconvex Organs. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. 2025 Sep 15;72(10):2871-2881. Epub 2025 Mär 27. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2025.3554339, 10.48550/arXiv.2410.06002
Jessen, Etienne ; Steinbach, Marc C. ; Schillinger, Dominik. / Optimizing Non-Intersecting Synthetic Vascular Trees in Nonconvex Organs. in: IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. 2025 ; Jahrgang 72, Nr. 10. S. 2871-2881.
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