Comparison of GPU-based and CPU-based Algorithms for Determining the Minimum Distance between a CUSA Scalper and Blood Vessels

Abstract

In this study, we have designed a GPGPU (General-Purpose Graphics Processing Unit)-based algorithm for determining the minimum distance from the tip of a CUSA (Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator) scalpel to the closest point around three types of blood vessel STLs (STereo-Lithographies). The algorithm consists of the following two functions: First, we use z-buffering (depth buffering) as the classic matured function of the GPU in order to effectively obtain depths corresponding to image pixels. Second, we use multiple cores of the GPU for parallel processing so as to calculate the minimum Euclidean distance from the scalpel tip to the closest z-values of the depths. Therefore, the complexity of the GPU-based algorithm does not depend on the shape complexity (e.g., patch, edge, and vertex numbers) of the blood vessels.