# VesselSDF: Distance Field Priors for Vascular Network Reconstruction

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.16556 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.16556/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 22 of its 32 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 19 Jun 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 22 of 22)

- [U-Net: Convolutional Networks for Biomedical Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1505.04597/) (2015)
- [DeepSDF: Learning Continuous Signed Distance Functions for Shape Representation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1901.05103/) (2019)
- [TransUNet: Transformers Make Strong Encoders for Medical Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2102.04306/) (2021)
- [3D U-Net: Learning Dense Volumetric Segmentation from Sparse Annotation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1606.06650/) (2016)
- [Attention U-Net: Learning Where to Look for the Pancreas](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1804.03999/) (2018)
- [Implicit Geometric Regularization for Learning Shapes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2002.10099/) (2020)
- [The Medical Segmentation Decathlon](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.05735/) (2021)
- [UNet++: Redesigning Skip Connections to Exploit Multiscale Features in Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1912.05074/) (2019)
- [clDice -- A Novel Topology-Preserving Loss Function for Tubular Structure Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2003.07311/) (2020)
- [nnFormer: Interleaved Transformer for Volumetric Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.03201/) (2021)
- [Neural-Pull: Learning Signed Distance Functions from Point Clouds by Learning to Pull Space onto Surfaces](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2011.13495/) (2020)
- [UNETR++: Delving into Efficient and Accurate 3D Medical Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.04497/) (2022)
- [DeepVesselNet: Vessel Segmentation, Centerline Prediction, and Bifurcation Detection in 3-D Angiographic Volumes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1803.09340/) (2018)
- [Centerline Boundary Dice Loss for Vascular Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.01517/) (2024)
- [vesselFM: A Foundation Model for Universal 3D Blood Vessel Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.17386/) (2024)
- [Going Off-Grid: Continuous Implicit Neural Representations for 3D Vascular Modeling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.14663/) (2022)
- [Score-Based Generative Models for Medical Image Segmentation using Signed Distance Functions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.05966/) (2023)
- [3D Arterial Segmentation via Single 2D Projections and Depth Supervision in Contrast-Enhanced CT Images](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.08481/) (2023)
- [Automating Vessel Segmentation in the Heart and Brain: A Trend to Develop Multi-Modality and Label-Efficient Deep Learning Techniques](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.01671/) (2024)
- [CrossSDF: 3D Reconstruction of Thin Structures From Cross-Sections](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.04120/) (2024)
- [Slice Imputation: Intermediate Slice Interpolation for Anisotropic 3D Medical Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.10773/) (2022)
- [Efficient Slice Anomaly Detection Network for 3D Brain MRI Volume](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.15958/) (2024)

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [SBP-Net: Learning Thin Structure Reconstruction with Sliding-Box Projections](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.04251/) (2026)
- [Widest-Path Reachability Fields for Connectivity-Preserving Slender Structure Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.07123/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Accurate segmentation of vascular networks from sparse CT scan slices remains a significant challenge in medical imaging, particularly due to the thin, branching nature of vessels and the inherent sparsity between imaging planes. Existing deep learning approaches, based on binary voxel classification, often struggle with structural continuity and geometric fidelity. To address this challenge, we present VesselSDF, a novel framework that leverages signed distance fields (SDFs) for robust vessel reconstruction. Our method reformulates vessel segmentation as a continuous SDF regression problem, where each point in the volume is represented by its signed distance to the nearest vessel surface. This continuous representation inherently captures the smooth, tubular geometry of blood vessels and their branching patterns. We obtain accurate vessel reconstructions while eliminating common SDF artifacts such as floating segments, thanks to our adaptive Gaussian regularizer which ensures smoothness in regions far from vessel surfaces while producing precise geometry near the surface boundaries. Our experimental results demonstrate that VesselSDF significantly outperforms existing methods and preserves vessel geometry and connectivity, enabling more reliable vascular analysis in clinical settings.