Segmentation of complex objects with non-spherical topologies from volumetric medical images using 3D livewire
Kelvin W. C. Poon, Ghassan Hamarneh, Rafeef Abugharbieh · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2007
Segmentation of 3D data is one of the most challenging tasks in medical image analysis. While reliable automatic methods are typically preferred, their success is often hindered by poor image quality and significant variations in anatomy. Recent years have thus seen an increasing interest in the development of semi-automated segmentation methods that combine computational tools with intuitive, minimal user interaction. In an earlier work, we introduced a highly-automated technique for medical image segmentation, where a 3D extension of the traditional 2D Livewire was proposed. In this paper, we present an enhanced and more powerful 3D Livewire-based segmentation approach with new features designed to primarily enable the handling of complex object topologies that are common in biological structures. The point ordering algorithm we proposed earlier, which automatically pairs up seedpoints in 3D, is improved in this work such that multiple sets of points are allowed to simultaneously exist. Point sets can now be automatically merged and split to accommodate for the presence of concavities, protrusions, and non-spherical topologies. The robustness of the method is further improved by extending the 'turtle algorithm', presented earlier, by using a turtle-path pruning step. Tests on both synthetic and real medical images demonstrate the efficiency, reproducibility, accuracy, and robustness of the proposed approach. Among the examples illustrated is the segmentation of the left and right ventricles from a T1-weighted MRI scan, where an average task time reduction of 84.7% was achieved when compared to a user performing 2D Livewire segmentation on every slice.