# Image2Flow: A hybrid image and graph convolutional neural network for rapid patient-specific pulmonary artery segmentation and CFD flow field calculation from 3D cardiac MRI data

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.18236 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.18236/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 10 of its 34 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 28 Feb 2024.

## Builds on (most cited first, 10 of 10)

- [Deep learning for cardiac image segmentation: A review](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1911.03723/) (2019)
- [Evaluation of Algorithms for Multi-Modality Whole Heart Segmentation: An Open-Access Grand Challenge](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1902.07880/) (2019)
- [Graph Neural Networks in TensorFlow and Keras with Spektral](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2006.12138/) (2020)
- [Voxel2Mesh: 3D Mesh Model Generation from Volumetric Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1912.03681/) (2019)
- [A Deep-Learning Approach For Direct Whole-Heart Mesh Reconstruction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2102.07899/) (2021)
- [Learning Whole Heart Mesh Generation From Patient Images For Computational Simulations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.10517/) (2022)
- [Learning Reduced-Order Models for Cardiovascular Simulations with Graph Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.07310/) (2023)
- [SDF4CHD: Generative Modeling of Cardiac Anatomies with Congenital Heart Defects](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.00332/) (2023)
- [Whole Heart Mesh Generation For Image-Based Computational Simulations By Learning Free-From Deformations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2107.10839/) (2021)
- [Deep neural networks for fast acquisition of aortic 3D pressure and velocity flow fields](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.12156/) (2022)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Rethinking Intracranial Aneurysm Vessel Segmentation: A Perspective from Computational Fluid Dynamics Applications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.01319/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used for evaluation of hemodynamics. However, its routine use is limited by labor-intensive manual segmentation, CFD mesh creation, and time-consuming simulation. This study aims to train a deep learning model to both generate patient-specific volume-meshes of the pulmonary artery from 3D cardiac MRI data and directly estimate CFD flow fields. This study used 135 3D cardiac MRIs from both a public and private dataset. The pulmonary arteries in the MRIs were manually segmented and converted into volume-meshes. CFD simulations were performed on ground truth meshes and interpolated onto point-point correspondent meshes to create the ground truth dataset. The dataset was split 85/10/15 for training, validation and testing. Image2Flow, a hybrid image and graph convolutional neural network, was trained to transform a pulmonary artery template to patient-specific anatomy and CFD values. Image2Flow was evaluated in terms of segmentation and accuracy of CFD predicted was assessed using node-wise comparisons. Centerline comparisons of Image2Flow and CFD simulations performed using machine learning segmentation were also performed. Image2Flow achieved excellent segmentation accuracy with a median Dice score of 0.9 (IQR: 0.86-0.92). The median node-wise normalized absolute error for pressure and velocity magnitude was 11.98% (IQR: 9.44-17.90%) and 8.06% (IQR: 7.54-10.41), respectively. Centerline analysis showed no significant difference between the Image2Flow and conventional CFD simulated on machine learning-generated volume-meshes. This proof-of-concept study has shown it is possible to simultaneously perform patient specific volume-mesh based segmentation and pressure and flow field estimation. Image2Flow completes segmentation and CFD in ~205ms, which ~7000 times faster than manual methods, making it more feasible in a clinical environment.