Initial HDMI biomarkers |
NB |
Numbers of branch points: defined as any node
that connected to three or more vessel segments [24]. |
NV |
Number of vessel segments |
VD |
Vessel density: defined as the proportion of
vessel area with blood flow over the total area measured [24]. |
D (mm) |
Vessel diameter (Dmean,
Dmax): defined as two times of the minimum distance
between the vessel centerline and the vessel border ([24]. |
DM |
Distance metric (DMmean,
DMmax): defined as the ratio between the actual path
length of a meandering curve (vessel) and the linear distance between
the two end points [24]. Distance
metric measures vascular tortuosity. |
Novel HDMI biomarkers |
MD |
Murray’s deviation: diameter mismatch,
defined as the deviation from Murray's law, increases in the
vasculature network of malignant tumors Using skeleton image, the
diameters of sub-vessels were used to define mother vessel (the
sub-vessel with the largest diameter) and daughter vessels (the
remaining sub-vessels).MD was Calculated Using MD =
. If NB = 0, MD = 1 [25; 31; 32]. |
mvFD |
Microvessel fractal dimension: A unit-less
geometrical feature is a marker of microvascular complexity. Can be
calculated using the Box counting method. Knowing the box size, s, and
the number of boxes, Ns, to cover all the vessels, the mvFD
can be calculated, mvFD = , to identify the structural complexity
of tumor vessels [25; 27; 28]. |
BA (°) |
Bifurcation angle: refers to the angle between
two daughter vessels Two straight lines were generated by fitting two
daughter vessels, and the angle between them is calculated as BA [25; 29; 30]. If NB = 0,
BA = 180°. |
VDR |
Vessel density ratio (VDR): tumor vessel
distributions at the periphery (VDR<1), or at the center
(VDR>1) or both (VDR ≈ 1) VDR = [34]. |
SVP |
Spatial vascularity pattern: the distribution
pattern of microvessels, either concentrated peripherally (peritumoral
vascularization) or inside the lesion (intratumoral vascularization. SVP
is calculated by VDR. If VDR < 1, SVP = 0, meaning a more
peripherally concentrated vessel. distribution. If VDR > 1, SVP =
1, meaning a more centrally concentrated vessel distribution [25; 33]. |