@misc{RueckertRiederRauberetal., author = {R{\"u}ckert, Tobias and Rieder, Maximilian and Rauber, David and Xiao, Michel and Humolli, Eg and Feussner, Hubertus and Wilhelm, Dirk and Palm, Christoph}, title = {Augmenting instrument segmentation in video sequences of minimally invasive surgery by synthetic smoky frames}, series = {International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery}, volume = {18}, journal = {International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery}, number = {Suppl 1}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1007/s11548-023-02878-2}, pages = {S54 -- S56}, language = {en} } @article{MaerklRueckertRauberetal., author = {Maerkl, Raphaela and Rueckert, Tobias and Rauber, David and Gutbrod, Max and Weber Nunes, Danilo and Palm, Christoph}, title = {Enhancing generalization in zero-shot multi-label endoscopic instrument classification}, series = {International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery}, volume = {20}, journal = {International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1007/s11548-025-03439-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-85674}, pages = {1577 -- 1587}, abstract = {Purpose Recognizing previously unseen classes with neural networks is a significant challenge due to their limited generalization capabilities. This issue is particularly critical in safety-critical domains such as medical applications, where accurate classification is essential for reliability and patient safety. Zero-shot learning methods address this challenge by utilizing additional semantic data, with their performance relying heavily on the quality of the generated embeddings. Methods This work investigates the use of full descriptive sentences, generated by a Sentence-BERT model, as class representations, compared to simpler category-based word embeddings derived from a BERT model. Additionally, the impact of z-score normalization as a post-processing step on these embeddings is explored. The proposed approach is evaluated on a multi-label generalized zero-shot learning task, focusing on the recognition of surgical instruments in endoscopic images from minimally invasive cholecystectomies. Results The results demonstrate that combining sentence embeddings and z-score normalization significantly improves model performance. For unseen classes, the AUROC improves from 43.9\% to 64.9\%, and the multi-label accuracy from 26.1\% to 79.5\%. Overall performance measured across both seen and unseen classes improves from 49.3\% to 64.9\% in AUROC and from 37.3\% to 65.1\% in multi-label accuracy, highlighting the effectiveness of our approach. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that sentence embeddings and z-score normalization can substantially enhance the generalization performance of zero-shot learning models. However, as the study is based on a single dataset, future work should validate the method across diverse datasets and application domains to establish its robustness and broader applicability.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{KlausmannRueckertRauberetal., author = {Klausmann, Leonard and Rueckert, Tobias and Rauber, David and Maerkl, Raphaela and Yildiran, Suemeyye R. and Gutbrod, Max and Palm, Christoph}, title = {DIY challenge blueprint: from organization to technical realization in biomedical image analysis}, series = {Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention - MICCAI 2025 ; Proceedings Part XI}, booktitle = {Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention - MICCAI 2025 ; Proceedings Part XI}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Cham}, isbn = {978-3-032-05141-7}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-032-05141-7_9}, pages = {85 -- 95}, abstract = {Biomedical image analysis challenges have become the de facto standard for publishing new datasets and benchmarking different state-of-the-art algorithms. Most challenges use commercial cloud-based platforms, which can limit custom options and involve disadvantages such as reduced data control and increased costs for extended functionalities. In contrast, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approaches have the capability to emphasize reliability, compliance, and custom features, providing a solid basis for low-cost, custom designs in self-hosted systems. Our approach emphasizes cost efficiency, improved data sovereignty, and strong compliance with regulatory frameworks, such as the GDPR. This paper presents a blueprint for DIY biomedical imaging challenges, designed to provide institutions with greater autonomy over their challenge infrastructure. Our approach comprehensively addresses both organizational and technical dimensions, including key user roles, data management strategies, and secure, efficient workflows. Key technical contributions include a modular, containerized infrastructure based on Docker, integration of open-source identity management, and automated solution evaluation workflows. Practical deployment guidelines are provided to facilitate implementation and operational stability. The feasibility and adaptability of the proposed framework are demonstrated through the MICCAI 2024 PhaKIR challenge with multiple international teams submitting and validating their solutions through our self-hosted platform. This work can be used as a baseline for future self-hosted DIY implementations and our results encourage further studies in the area of biomedical image analysis challenges.}, language = {en} } @article{WeihererEigenbergerEggeretal., author = {Weiherer, Maximilian and Eigenberger, Andreas and Egger, Bernhard and Br{\´e}bant, Vanessa and Prantl, Lukas and Palm, Christoph}, title = {Learning the shape of female breasts: an open-access 3D statistical shape model of the female breast built from 110 breast scans}, series = {The Visual Computer}, volume = {39}, journal = {The Visual Computer}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1007/s00371-022-02431-3}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-30506}, pages = {1597 -- 1616}, abstract = {We present the Regensburg Breast Shape Model (RBSM)—a 3D statistical shape model of the female breast built from 110 breast scans acquired in a standing position, and the first publicly available. Together with the model, a fully automated, pairwise surface registration pipeline used to establish dense correspondence among 3D breast scans is introduced. Our method is computationally efficient and requires only four landmarks to guide the registration process. A major challenge when modeling female breasts from surface-only 3D breast scans is the non-separability of breast and thorax. In order to weaken the strong coupling between breast and surrounding areas, we propose to minimize the variance outside the breast region as much as possible. To achieve this goal, a novel concept called breast probability masks (BPMs) is introduced. A BPM assigns probabilities to each point of a 3D breast scan, telling how likely it is that a particular point belongs to the breast area. During registration, we use BPMs to align the template to the target as accurately as possible inside the breast region and only roughly outside. This simple yet effective strategy significantly reduces the unwanted variance outside the breast region, leading to better statistical shape models in which breast shapes are quite well decoupled from the thorax. The RBSM is thus able to produce a variety of different breast shapes as independently as possible from the shape of the thorax. Our systematic experimental evaluation reveals a generalization ability of 0.17 mm and a specificity of 2.8 mm. To underline the expressiveness of the proposed model, we finally demonstrate in two showcase applications how the RBSM can be used for surgical outcome simulation and the prediction of a missing breast from the remaining one. Our model is available at https://www.rbsm.re-mic.de/.}, language = {en} } @article{MaierWeihererHuberetal., author = {Maier, Johannes and Weiherer, Maximilian and Huber, Michaela and Palm, Christoph}, title = {Imitating human soft tissue on basis of a dual-material 3D print using a support-filled metamaterial to provide bimanual haptic for a hand surgery training system}, series = {Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery}, volume = {9}, journal = {Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery}, number = {1}, publisher = {AME Publishing Company}, doi = {10.21037/qims.2018.09.17}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-979}, pages = {30 -- 42}, abstract = {Background: Currently, it is common practice to use three-dimensional (3D) printers not only for rapid prototyping in the industry, but also in the medical area to create medical applications for training inexperienced surgeons. In a clinical training simulator for minimally invasive bone drilling to fix hand fractures with Kirschner-wires (K-wires), a 3D-printed hand phantom must not only be geometrically but also haptically correct. Due to a limited view during an operation, surgeons need to perfectly localize underlying risk structures only by feeling of specific bony protrusions of the human hand. Methods: The goal of this experiment is to imitate human soft tissue with its haptic and elasticity for a realistic hand phantom fabrication, using only a dual-material 3D printer and support-material-filled metamaterial between skin and bone. We present our workflow to generate lattice structures between hard bone and soft skin with iterative cube edge (CE) or cube face (CF) unit cells. Cuboid and finger shaped sample prints with and without inner hard bone in different lattice thickness are constructed and 3D printed. Results: The most elastic available rubber-like material is too firm to imitate soft tissue. By reducing the amount of rubber in the inner volume through support material (SUP), objects become significantly softer. Without metamaterial, after disintegration, the SUP can be shifted through the volume and thus the body loses its original shape. Although the CE design increases the elasticity, it cannot restore the fabric form. In contrast to CE, the CF design increases not only the elasticity but also guarantees a local limitation of the SUP. Therefore, the body retains its shape and internal bones remain in its intended place. Various unit cell sizes, lattice thickening and skin thickness regulate the rubber material and SUP ratio. Test prints with higher SUP and lower rubber material percentage appear softer and vice versa. This was confirmed by an expert surgeon evaluation. Subjects adjudged pure rubber-like material as too firm and samples only filled with SUP or lattice structure in CE design as not suitable for imitating tissue. 3D-printed finger samples in CF design were rated as realistic compared to the haptic of human tissue with a good palpable bone structure. Conclusions: We developed a new dual-material 3D print technique to imitate soft tissue of the human hand with its haptic properties. Blowy SUP is trapped within a lattice structure to soften rubber-like 3D print material, which makes it possible to reproduce a realistic replica of human hand soft tissue.}, subject = {Handchirurgie}, language = {en} } @article{MaierWeihererHuberetal., author = {Maier, Johannes and Weiherer, Maximilian and Huber, Michaela and Palm, Christoph}, title = {Optically tracked and 3D printed haptic phantom hand for surgical training system}, series = {Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery}, volume = {10}, journal = {Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery}, number = {02}, publisher = {AME Publishing Company}, address = {Hong Kong, China}, doi = {10.21037/qims.2019.12.03}, pages = {340 -- 455}, abstract = {Background: For surgical fixation of bone fractures of the human hand, so-called Kirschner-wires (K-wires) are drilled through bone fragments. Due to the minimally invasive drilling procedures without a view of risk structures like vessels and nerves, a thorough training of young surgeons is necessary. For the development of a virtual reality (VR) based training system, a three-dimensional (3D) printed phantom hand is required. To ensure an intuitive operation, this phantom hand has to be realistic in both, its position relative to the driller as well as in its haptic features. The softest 3D printing material available on the market, however, is too hard to imitate human soft tissue. Therefore, a support-material (SUP) filled metamaterial is used to soften the raw material. Realistic haptic features are important to palpate protrusions of the bone to determine the drilling starting point and angle. An optical real-time tracking is used to transfer position and rotation to the training system. Methods: A metamaterial already developed in previous work is further improved by use of a new unit cell. Thus, the amount of SUP within the volume can be increased and the tissue is softened further. In addition, the human anatomy is transferred to the entire hand model. A subcutaneous fat layer and penetration of air through pores into the volume simulate shiftability of skin layers. For optical tracking, a rotationally symmetrical marker attached to the phantom hand with corresponding reference marker is developed. In order to ensure trouble-free position transmission, various types of marker point applications are tested. Results: Several cuboid and forearm sample prints lead to a final 30 centimeter long hand model. The whole haptic phantom could be printed faultless within about 17 hours. The metamaterial consisting of the new unit cell results in an increased SUP share of 4.32\%. Validated by an expert surgeon study, this allows in combination with a displacement of the uppermost skin layer a good palpability of the bones. Tracking of the hand marker in dodecahedron design works trouble-free in conjunction with a reference marker attached to the worktop of the training system. Conclusions: In this work, an optically tracked and haptically correct phantom hand was developed using dual-material 3D printing, which can be easily integrated into a surgical training system.}, subject = {Handchirurgie}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{FranzDreherPrinzenetal., author = {Franz, Daniela and Dreher, Maria and Prinzen, Martin and Teßmann, Matthias and Palm, Christoph and Katzky, Uwe and Perret, Jerome and Hofer, Mathias and Wittenberg, Thomas}, title = {CT-basiertes virtuelles Fr{\"a}sen am Felsenbein}, series = {Bildverarbeitung f{\"u}r die Medizin 2018; Algorithmen - Systeme - Anwendungen. Proceedings des Workshops vom 11. bis 13. M{\"a}rz 2018 in Erlangen}, booktitle = {Bildverarbeitung f{\"u}r die Medizin 2018; Algorithmen - Systeme - Anwendungen. Proceedings des Workshops vom 11. bis 13. M{\"a}rz 2018 in Erlangen}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Berlin}, isbn = {978-3-662-56537-7}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-662-56537-7_51}, pages = {176 -- 181}, abstract = {Im Rahmen der Entwicklung eines haptisch-visuellen Trainingssystems f{\"u}r das Fr{\"a}sen am Felsenbein werden ein Haptikarm und ein autostereoskopischer 3D-Monitor genutzt, um Chirurgen die virtuelle Manipulation von kn{\"o}chernen Strukturen im Kontext eines sog. Serious Game zu erm{\"o}glichen. Unter anderem sollen Assistenz{\"a}rzte im Rahmen ihrer Ausbildung das Fr{\"a}sen am Felsenbein f{\"u}r das chirurgische Einsetzen eines Cochlea-Implantats {\"u}ben k{\"o}nnen. Die Visualisierung des virtuellen Fr{\"a}sens muss daf{\"u}r in Echtzeit und m{\"o}glichst realistisch modelliert, implementiert und evaluiert werden. Wir verwenden verschiedene Raycasting Methoden mit linearer und Nearest Neighbor Interpolation und vergleichen die visuelle Qualit{\"a}t und die Bildwiederholfrequenzen der Methoden. Alle verglichenen Verfahren sind sind echtzeitf{\"a}hig, unterscheiden sich aber in ihrer visuellen Qualit{\"a}t.}, subject = {Felsenbein}, language = {de} } @inproceedings{MaierHuberKatzkyetal., author = {Maier, Johannes and Huber, Michaela and Katzky, Uwe and Perret, Jerome and Wittenberg, Thomas and Palm, Christoph}, title = {Force-Feedback-assisted Bone Drilling Simulation Based on CT Data}, series = {Bildverarbeitung f{\"u}r die Medizin 2018; Algorithmen - Systeme - Anwendungen; Proceedings des Workshops vom 11. bis 13. M{\"a}rz 2018 in Erlangen}, booktitle = {Bildverarbeitung f{\"u}r die Medizin 2018; Algorithmen - Systeme - Anwendungen; Proceedings des Workshops vom 11. bis 13. M{\"a}rz 2018 in Erlangen}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Berlin}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-662-56537-7_78}, pages = {291 -- 296}, abstract = {In order to fix a fracture using minimally invasive surgery approaches, surgeons are drilling complex and tiny bones with a 2 dimensional X-ray as single imaging modality in the operating room. Our novel haptic force-feedback and visual assisted training system will potentially help hand surgeons to learn the drilling procedure in a realistic visual environment. Within the simulation, the collision detection as well as the interaction between virtual drill, bone voxels and surfaces are important. In this work, the chai3d collision detection and force calculation algorithms are combined with a physics engine to simulate the bone drilling process. The chosen Bullet-Physics-Engine provides a stable simulation of rigid bodies, if the collision model of the drill and the tool holder is generated as a compound shape. Three haptic points are added to the K-wire tip for removing single voxels from the bone. For the drilling process three modes are proposed to emulate the different phases of drilling in restricting the movement of a haptic device.}, subject = {Handchirurgie}, language = {en} } @article{EbigboMendelProbstetal., author = {Ebigbo, Alanna and Mendel, Robert and Probst, Andreas and Manzeneder, Johannes and Souza Jr., Luis Antonio de and Papa, Jo{\~a}o Paulo and Palm, Christoph and Messmann, Helmut}, title = {Computer-aided diagnosis using deep learning in the evaluation of early oesophageal adenocarcinoma}, series = {GuT}, volume = {68}, journal = {GuT}, number = {7}, publisher = {British Society of Gastroenterology}, doi = {10.1136/gutjnl-2018-317573}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-68}, pages = {1143 -- 1145}, abstract = {Computer-aided diagnosis using deep learning (CAD-DL) may be an instrument to improve endoscopic assessment of Barrett's oesophagus (BE) and early oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Based on still images from two databases, the diagnosis of EAC by CAD-DL reached sensitivities/specificities of 97\%/88\% (Augsburg data) and 92\%/100\% (Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention [MICCAI] data) for white light (WL) images and 94\%/80\% for narrow band images (NBI) (Augsburg data), respectively. Tumour margins delineated by experts into images were detected satisfactorily with a Dice coefficient (D) of 0.72. This could be a first step towards CAD-DL for BE assessment. If developed further, it could become a useful adjunctive tool for patient management.}, subject = {Speiser{\"o}hrenkrebs}, language = {en} } @article{WoehlMaierGehmertetal., author = {W{\"o}hl, Rebecca and Maier, Johannes and Gehmert, Sebastian and Palm, Christoph and Riebschl{\"a}ger, Birgit and Nerlich, Michael and Huber, Michaela}, title = {3D Analysis of Osteosyntheses Material using semi-automated CT Segmentation}, series = {BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders}, volume = {19}, journal = {BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1186/s12891-018-1975-0}, pages = {1 -- 8}, abstract = {Backround Scaphoidectomy and midcarpal fusion can be performed using traditional fixation methods like K-wires, staples, screws or different dorsal (non)locking arthrodesis systems. The aim of this study is to test the Aptus four corner locking plate and to compare the clinical findings to the data revealed by CT scans and semi-automated segmentation. Methods: This is a retrospective review of eleven patients suffering from scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) or scaphoid non-union advanced collapse (SNAC) wrist, who received a four corner fusion between August 2011 and July 2014. The clinical evaluation consisted of measuring the range of motion (ROM), strength and pain on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Additionally, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) and the Mayo Wrist Score were assessed. A computerized tomography (CT) of the wrist was obtained six weeks postoperatively. After semi-automated segmentation of the CT scans, the models were post processed and surveyed. Results During the six-month follow-up mean range of motion (ROM) of the operated wrist was 60°, consisting of 30° extension and 30° flexion. While pain levels decreased significantly, 54\% of grip strength and 89\% of pinch strength were preserved compared to the contralateral healthy wrist. Union could be detected in all CT scans of the wrist. While X-ray pictures obtained postoperatively revealed no pathology, two user related technical complications were found through the 3D analysis, which correlated to the clinical outcome. Conclusion Due to semi-automated segmentation and 3D analysis it has been proved that the plate design can keep up to the manufacturers' promises. Over all, this case series confirmed that the plate can compete with the coexisting techniques concerning clinical outcome, union and complication rate.}, subject = {Handchirurgie}, language = {en} }