An automatic method for rib ordering and pairing in 3D medical images
Sowmya Ramakrishnan, Christopher V. Alvino · 2011
Automatic labeling of ribs in medical images of the chest has many applications that aid oncology and fracture evaluation. We present a novel algorithmic approach to label ribs independent of the rib extraction method adopted. The relative axial distance between rib points in a specified neighborhood is minimized within the least squares framework to obtain rib ordering. Subsequently, we model that the ribs on the same side are held in order by a spring system and treat the distance-based affinity between contralateral ribs as a magnetic attraction. Minimizing the total potential energy of the spring-magnet system to equilibrium establishes correct rib pairing subject to the ordering and enables accurate rib labeling.