DSpace Repository :: Browsing by Author "Smit, Noeska N."

Browsing by Author "Smit, Noeska N."

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9

Automatic Generation of Web-Based User Studies to Evaluate Depth Perception in Vascular Surface Visualizations
(The Eurographics Association, 2018) Meuschke, Monique; Smit, Noeska N.; Lichtenberg, Nils; Preim, Bernhard; Lawonn, Kai; Puig Puig, Anna and Schultz, Thomas and Vilanova, Anna and Hotz, Ingrid and Kozlikova, Barbora and Vázquez, Pere-Pau
User studies are often required in biomedical visualization application papers in order to provide evidence for the utility of the presented approach. An important aspect is how well depth information can be perceived, as depth encoding is important to enable an understandable representation of complex data. Unfortunately, in practice there is often little time available to perform such studies, and setting up and conducting user studies may be labor-intensive. In addition, it can be challenging to reach enough participants to support the contribution claims of the paper. In this paper, we propose a system that allows biomedical visualization researchers to quickly generate perceptual task-based user studies for novel surface visualizations, and to perform the resulting experiment via a web interface. This approach helps to reduce effort in the setup of user studies themselves, and at the same time leverages a web-based approach that can help researchers attract more participants to their study. We demonstrate our system using the specific application of depth judgment tasks to evaluate vascular surface visualizations, since there is a lot of recent interest in this area. However, the system is also generally applicable for conducting other task-based user studies in biomedical visualization.
An Exploration of Practice and Preferences for the Visual Communication of Biomedical Processes
(The Eurographics Association, 2021) Garrison, Laura; Meuschke, Monique; Fairman, Jennifer; Smit, Noeska N.; Preim, Bernhard; Bruckner, Stefan; Oeltze-Jafra, Steffen and Smit, Noeska N. and Sommer, Björn and Nieselt, Kay and Schultz, Thomas
The visual communication of biomedical processes draws from diverse techniques in both visualization and biomedical illustration. However, matching these techniques to their intended audience often relies on practice-based heuristics or narrow-scope evaluations. We present an exploratory study of the criteria that audiences use when evaluating a biomedical process visualization targeted for communication. Designed over a series of expert interviews and focus groups, our study focuses on common communication scenarios of five well-known biomedical processes and their standard visual representations. We framed these scenarios in a survey with participant expertise spanning from minimal to expert knowledge of a given topic. Our results show frequent overlap in abstraction preferences between expert and non-expert audiences, with similar prioritization of clarity and the ability of an asset to meet a given communication objective. We also found that some illustrative conventions are not as clear as we thought, e.g., glows have broadly ambiguous meaning, while other approaches were unexpectedly preferred, e.g., biomedical illustrations in place of data-driven visualizations. Our findings suggest numerous opportunities for the continued convergence of visualization and biomedical illustration techniques for targeted visualization design.
Interactive Multimodal Imaging Visualization for Multiple Sclerosis Lesion Analysis
(The Eurographics Association, 2021) Sugathan, Sherin; Bartsch, Hauke; Riemer, Frank; Grüner, Renate; Lawonn, Kai; Smit, Noeska N.; Oeltze-Jafra, Steffen and Smit, Noeska N. and Sommer, Björn and Nieselt, Kay and Schultz, Thomas
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a brain disease that is diagnosed and monitored extensively through MRI scans. One of the criteria is the appearance of so-called brain lesions. The lesions show up on MRI scans as regions with elevated or reduced contrast compared to the surrounding healthy tissue. Understanding the complex interplay of contrast, location and shape in images from multiple modalities from 2D MRI slices is challenging. Advanced visualization of appearance- and location-related features of lesions would help researchers in defining better disease characterization through MS research. Since a permanent cure is not possible in MS and medication-based disease modification is a common treatment path, providing better visualizations would strengthen research which investigates the effect of white matter lesions. Here we present an advanced visualization solution that supports analysis from multiple imaging modalities acquired in a clinical routine examination. The solution holds potential for enabling researchers to have a more intuitive perception of lesion features. As an example for enhancing the analytic possibilities, we demonstrate the benefits of lesion projection using both Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and gradient-based techniques. This approach enables users to assess brain structures across individuals as the atlas-based analysis provides 3D anchoring and labeling of regions across a series of brain scans from the same participant and across different participants. The projections on the brain surface also enable researchers to conduct detailed studies on the relationship between cognitive disabilities and location of lesions. This allows researchers to correlate lesions to Brodmann areas and related brain functions. We realize the solutions in a prototype application that supports both DTI and structural data. A qualitative evaluation demonstrates that our approach supports MS researchers by providing new opportunities for MS research.
Is there a Tornado in Alex's Blood Flow? A Case Study for Narrative Medical Visualization
(The Eurographics Association, 2022) Kleinau, Anna; Stupak, Evgenia; Mörth, Eric; Garrison, Laura A.; Mittenentzwei, Sarah; Smit, Noeska N.; Lawonn, Kai; Bruckner, Stefan; Gutberlet, Matthias; Preim, Bernhard; Meuschke, Monique; Renata G. Raidou; Björn Sommer; Torsten W. Kuhlen; Michael Krone; Thomas Schultz; Hsiang-Yun Wu
Narrative visualization advantageously combines storytelling with new media formats and techniques, like interactivity, to create improved learning experiences. In medicine, it has the potential to improve patient understanding of diagnostic procedures and treatment options, promote confidence, reduce anxiety, and support informed decision-making. However, limited scientific research has been conducted regarding the use of narrative visualization in medicine. To explore the value of narrative visualization in this domain, we introduce a data-driven story to inform a broad audience about the usage of measured blood flow data to diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases. The focus of the story is on blood flow vortices in the aorta, with which imaging technique they are examined, and why they can be dangerous. In an interdisciplinary team, we define the main contents of the story and the resulting design questions. We sketch the iterative design process and implement the story based on two genres. In a between-subject study, we evaluate the suitability and understandability of the story and the influence of different navigation concepts on user experience. Finally, we discuss reusable concepts for further narrative medical visualization projects.
MuSIC: Multi-Sequential Interactive Co-Registration for Cancer Imaging Data based on Segmentation Masks
(The Eurographics Association, 2022) Eichner, Tanja; Mörth, Eric; Wagner-Larsen, Kari S.; Lura, Njål; Haldorsen, Ingfrid S.; Gröller, Eduard; Bruckner, Stefan; Smit, Noeska N.; Renata G. Raidou; Björn Sommer; Torsten W. Kuhlen; Michael Krone; Thomas Schultz; Hsiang-Yun Wu
In gynecologic cancer imaging, multiple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences are acquired per patient to reveal different tissue characteristics. However, after image acquisition, the anatomical structures can be misaligned in the various sequences due to changing patient location in the scanner and organ movements. The co-registration process aims to align the sequences to allow for multi-sequential tumor imaging analysis. However, automatic co-registration often leads to unsatisfying results. To address this problem, we propose the web-based application MuSIC (Multi-Sequential Interactive Co-registration). The approach allows medical experts to co-register multiple sequences simultaneously based on a pre-defined segmentation mask generated for one of the sequences. Our contributions lie in our proposed workflow. First, a shape matching algorithm based on dual annealing searches for the tumor position in each sequence. The user can then interactively adapt the proposed segmentation positions if needed. During this procedure, we include a multi-modal magic lens visualization for visual quality assessment. Then, we register the volumes based on the segmentation mask positions. We allow for both rigid and deformable registration. Finally, we conducted a usability analysis with seven medical and machine learning experts to verify the utility of our approach. Our participants highly appreciate the multi-sequential setup and see themselves using MuSIC in the future.
RadEx: Integrated Visual Exploration of Multiparametric Studies for Radiomic Tumor Profiling
(The Eurographics Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2020) Mörth, Eric; Wagner-Larsen, Kari; Hodneland, Erlend; Krakstad, Camilla; Haldorsen, Ingfrid S.; Bruckner, Stefan; Smit, Noeska N.; Eisemann, Elmar and Jacobson, Alec and Zhang, Fang-Lue
Better understanding of the complex processes driving tumor growth and metastases is critical for developing targeted treatment strategies in cancer. Radiomics extracts large amounts of features from medical images which enables radiomic tumor profiling in combination with clinical markers. However, analyzing complex imaging data in combination with clinical data is not trivial and supporting tools aiding in these exploratory analyses are presently missing. In this paper, we present an approach that aims to enable the analysis of multiparametric medical imaging data in combination with numerical, ordinal, and categorical clinical parameters to validate established and unravel novel biomarkers. We propose a hybrid approach where dimensionality reduction to a single axis is combined with multiple linked views allowing clinical experts to formulate hypotheses based on all available imaging data and clinical parameters. This may help to reveal novel tumor characteristics in relation to molecular targets for treatment, thus providing better tools for enabling more personalized targeted treatment strategies. To confirm the utility of our approach, we closely collaborate with experts from the field of gynecological cancer imaging and conducted an evaluation with six experts in this field.
The Role of Depth Perception in XR from a Neuroscience Perspective: A Primer and Survey
(The Eurographics Association, 2021) Hushagen, Vetle; Tresselt, Gustav C.; Smit, Noeska N.; Specht, Karsten; Oeltze-Jafra, Steffen and Smit, Noeska N. and Sommer, Björn and Nieselt, Kay and Schultz, Thomas
Augmented and virtual reality (XR) are potentially powerful tools for enhancing the efficiency of interactive visualization of complex data in biology and medicine. The benefits of visualization of digital objects in XR mainly arise from enhanced depth perception due to the stereoscopic nature of XR head mounted devices. With the added depth dimension, XR is in a prime position to convey complex information and support tasks where 3D information is important. In order to inform the development of novel XR applications in the biology and medicine domain, we present a survey which reviews the neuroscientific basis underlying the immersive features of XR. To make this literature more accessible to the visualization community, we first describe the basics of the visual system, highlighting how visual features are combined to objects and processed in higher cortical areas with a special focus on depth vision. Based on state of the art findings in neuroscience literature related to depth perception, we provide several recommendations for developers and designers. Our aim is to aid development of XR applications and strengthen development of tools aimed at molecular visualization, medical education, and surgery, as well as inspire new application areas.
SpectraMosaic: An Exploratory Tool for the Interactive Visual Analysis of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Data
(The Eurographics Association, 2019) Garrison, Laura; Vašíček, Jakub; Grüner, Renate; Smit, Noeska N.; Bruckner, Stefan; Kozlíková, Barbora and Linsen, Lars and Vázquez, Pere-Pau and Lawonn, Kai and Raidou, Renata Georgia
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) allows for assessment of tissue metabolite characteristics used often for early detection and treatment evaluation of brain-related pathologies. However, a steep learning curve for metabolite interpretation, paired with limited visualization tools, have constrained the more widespread adoption of MRS in clinical practice. In this design study, we collaborated with domain experts to design a novel visualization tool for the exploration of tissue metabolite concentration ratios in MRS clinical and research studies. We present a data and task analysis for this domain, with categorization of MRS data attributes into tiers of visual priority. We furthermore introduce a novel set of visual encodings for these attributes. Our result is SpectraMosaic (Figure 1), an interactive insight-generation tool for rapid exploration and comparison of metabolite ratios. We validate our approach with two case studies from MR spectroscopy experts, providing early qualitative evidence of the efficacy of the system and affording deeper insights into these complex data.
VCBM 2021: Frontmatter
(The Eurographics Association, 2021) Oeltze-Jafra, Steffen; Smit, Noeska N.; Sommer, Björn; Nieselt, Kay; Schultz, Thomas; Oeltze-Jafra, Steffen and Smit, Noeska N. and Sommer, Björn and Nieselt, Kay and Schultz, Thomas

Browsing by Author "Smit, Noeska N."

Results Per Page

Sort Options