Resorption of retromolar bone grafts after alveolar ridge augmentation—volumetric changes after 12 months assessed by CBCT analysis

In this pilot study, a volumetric analysis of retromolar onlay bone grafts over a period of 12 months was conducted, using repeated CBCT imaging combined with automated image registration.Eleven patients being treated with 16 bone grafts taken from the retromolar area were examined by CBCT scanning prior to bone augmentation (T0), immediately after bone augmentation (T1) and after a healing time of 12 months after augmentation (T2). Graft volumes were measured at each time point after automated image registration of consecutive CBCT scans.The mean volume of the augmented site was 372.2 ± 179.4 mm3. Resorption relative to the original augmented volume was 43.7% ± 19.0% after 12 months.Three-dimensional graft resorption could be precisely depicted by the use of automated image registration for CBCT data over a period of 12 months and demonstrated extensive volumetric changes of bone grafts taken from the ascending ramus of the mandible.Graft resorption and continuous bony remodeling of the grafted site before and after implant insertion have to be carefully considered by the clinician.

An Overview on the Latest Nature-Inspired and Metaheuristics-Based Image Registration Algorithms

The development of automated image registration (IR) methods is a well-known issue within the computer vision (CV) field and it has been largely addressed from multiple viewpoints. IR has been applied to a high number of real-world scenarios ranging from remote sensing to medical imaging, artificial vision, and computer-aided design. In the last two decades, there has been an outstanding interest in the application of new optimization approaches for dealing with the main drawbacks present in the early IR methods, e.g., the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm. In particular, nature-inspired computation, e.g., evolutionary computation (EC), provides computational models that have their origin in evolution theories of nature. Moreover, other general purpose algorithms known as metaheuristics are also considered in this category of methods. Both nature-inspired and metaheuristic algorithms have been extensively adopted for tackling the IR problem, thus becoming a reliable alternative for optimization purposes. In this contribution, we aim to perform a comprehensive overview of the last decade (2009–2019) regarding the successful usage of this family of optimization approaches when facing the IR problem. Specifically, twenty-four methods (around 16 percent) of more than one hundred and fifty different contributions in the state-of-the-art have been selected. Several enhancements have been accordingly provided based on the promising outcomes shown by specific algorithmic designs. Finally, our research has shown that the field of nature-inspired and metaheuristic algorithms has increased its interest in the last decade to address the IR problem, and it has been highlighted that there is still room for improvement.

Electrooptical complex for terrain on-time survey

The article deals with a number of approaches to the use of electrooptical systems and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to solve the tasks of live terrain surface screening, air incident spots and objects survey. The paper provides the grounds for the UAV airframe chosen structure and the design of the electrooptical complex. The light weight, high -wing monoplane airframe structure is suggested. Using the CNC production center, a UAV with high aerodynamic performance was developed. The UAV was fitted with the optoelectronic system. Structural design for the airborne and ground equipment of the survey complex was developed. The structural design comprises the forward-looking and side airborne surveillance cameras and also downward-looking cameras of visible and infrared bands to provide the day and night vision. The downward-looking cameras of visible and infrared bands, integrated into the UAV fuselage belly are used for the surface monitoring and survey. The flight test on the use of electrooptic system comprised the flight on the route and automatic return using the satellite system navigation. The test showed that navigation data correction was required. The positioning accumulative error elimination is suggested to be done via automated image registration with the contour extraction and landmark reference. The image processing results using Canny algorithm were presented. The recommendations on the algorithm practical application and speed of response are given. To solve the problem of terrain on-time surveillance and monitoring the flight routes were subjected to research. Based on the experiments performed, the recommendations were given on the electrooptic complex application and flight route plotting for the tasks of on-time search and rescue.

Atlas registration for edema-corrected MRI lesion volume in mouse stroke models

Lesion volume measurements with magnetic resonance imaging are widely used to assess outcome in rodent models of stroke. In this study, we improved a mathematical framework to correct lesion size for edema which is based on manual delineation of the lesion and hemispheres. Furthermore, a novel MATLAB toolbox to register mouse brain MR images to the Allen brain atlas is presented. Its capability to calculate edema-corrected lesion size was compared to the manual approach. Automated image registration performed equally well in in a mouse middle cerebral artery occlusion model (Pearson r = 0.976, p = 2.265e-11). Information encapsulated in the registration was used to generate maps of edema induced tissue volume changes. These showed discrepancies to simplified tissue models underlying the manual approach. The presented techniques provide biologically more meaningful, voxel-wise biomarkers of vasogenic edema after stroke.