A novel multiscale 3D segmentation network based on vascular skeleton assistance

The Circle of Willis, a critical arterial ring structure located at the base of the brain, is essential for maintaining cerebral blood supply and is closely associated with various cerebrovascular diseases. Accurate segmentation of the Circle of Willis is crucial for assessing its structural integrity and functional status in clinical diagnosis and neurosurgical planning. This study developed a novel deep learning model based on Time-of-Flight Magnetic Resonance Angiography (TOF-MRA) technology. The model significantly improves the continuity of vascular segmentation and the recognition of fine vascular structures through a vascular skeleton-assisted segmentation mechanism and a multi-scale integrated fusion module. The innovatively introduced Multi-task Feature Attention Fusion Module integrates the semantic information of the vascular skeleton, effectively optimizing segmentation accuracy and structural integrity. Compared to existing techniques, our method has achieved promising results.