MRI-based Synthetic CT Images of the Head and Neck

Artificial Intelligence Driven Synthetic CT to Substitute CT Scans of the Head and Neck Region

In case of surgical procedures in the head and neck region, MRI in combination with CT of the bone is often the standard modality to visualise bony landmarks for planning, navigation and risk assessment. An important downside of a CT scan is the associated radiation exposure, especially in children. An additional downside is the sedation or general anaesthesia needed for both the MRI and CT scan session in very young children. These downsides could be removed if the CT scan can be substituted by an MRI sequence that can provide the same information as CT. This project aims to determine the feasibility of recreating CT like images of the craniofacial bones from MRI images using machine learning techniques.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients from the outpatient ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat)-clinic.
• Aged 18 years or older.
• Referred for CT scan of the mastoid, sinonasal complex or face.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy.
• Contra-indications for MRI or CT.
• Unwillingness to be informed about possibly clinically relevant, incidental findings from the MRI examination.