Threshold estimation for region segmentation on MR image of brain having the partial volume artifact
Yun-Chang Sung, Ki-Sun Han, Chang-Jun Song, Seung-Moo Noh, Jongwon Park · 2002
This study aims to segment white matter, gray matter, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on a brain MR image and to calculate the volume of each. First, after removing the background on a brain MR image, we segmented the whole region of a brain from the skull and fat layer. Then, we calculated the partial volume of each component, which was present in the scanning finite thickness, with the arithmetical analysis of the gray value from the internal region of the brain showing the blurring effects on the basis of the MR image forming principle. Calculated partial volumes of white matter, gray matter and CSF were used to determine the threshold for the segmentation of each component on a brain MR image showing the blurring effects. Finally, the volumes of segmented white matter, gray matter, and CSF were calculated. The result of this study can be used as an objective diagnostic method to determine the degree of brain atrophy of patients who have neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and cerebral palsy.