Deep Learning-based Medical Image Segmentation of the Aorta Using XR-MSF-U-Net

•X ResNet (XR) convolution module is proposed to replace the two-layer convolution of common model U-Net.•MSF is a plug and play attention module integrating multi-scale features.•MSF integrates global, local and spatial features of different receptive fields.•X ResNet convolution and MSF achieve efficient segmentation of the arota through medical images.•XR-MSF-U-Net model improves the accuracy and efficiency of diagnosis. : This paper proposes a CT images and MRI segmentation technology of cardiac aorta based on XR-MSF-U-Net model. The purpose of this method is to better analyze the patient's condition, reduce the misdiagnosis and mortality rate of cardiovascular disease in inhabitants, and effectively avoid the subjectivity and unrepeatability of manual segmentation of heart aorta, and reduce the workload of doctors. : We implement the X ResNet (XR) convolution module to replace the different convolution kernels of each branch of two-layer convolution XR of common model U-Net, which can make the model extract more useful features more efficiently. Meanwhile, a plug and play attention module integrating multi-scale features Multi-scale features fusion module (MSF) is proposed, which integrates global local and spatial features of different receptive fields to enhance network details to achieve the goal of efficient segmentation of cardiac aorta through CT images and MRI. : The model is trained on common cardiac CT images and MRI data sets and tested on our collected data sets to verify the generalization ability of the model. The results show that the proposed XR-MSF-U-Net model achieves a good segmentation effect on CT images and MRI. In the CT data set, the XR-MSF-U-Net model improves 7.99% in key index DSC and reduces 11.01mm in HD compared with the benchmark model U-Net, respectively. In the MRI data set, XR-MSF-U-Net model improves 10.19% and reduces 6.86mm error in key index DSC and HD compared with benchmark model U-Net, respectively. And it is superior to similar models in segmentation effect, proving that this model has significant advantages. : This study provides new possibilities for the segmentation of aortic CT images and MRI, improves the accuracy and efficiency of diagnosis, and hopes to provide substantial help for the segmentation of aortic CT images and MRI.