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A knowledge‐guided active model method of cortical structure segmentation on pediatric MR images
Author(s) -
Shan Zuyao Y.,
Parra Carlos,
Ji Qing,
Jain Jinesh,
Reddick Wilburn E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.20688
Subject(s) - computer science , segmentation , artificial intelligence , statistical parametric mapping , pattern recognition (psychology) , parametric statistics , software , magnetic resonance imaging , mathematics , medicine , radiology , statistics , programming language
Purpose To develop an automated method for quantification of cortical structures on pediatric MR images. Materials and Methods A knowledge‐guided active model (KAM) approach was proposed with a novel object function similar to the Gibbs free energy function. Triangular mesh models were transformed to images of a given subject by maximizing entropy, and then actively slithered to boundaries of structures by minimizing enthalpy. Volumetric results and image similarities of 10 different cortical structures segmented by KAM were compared with those traced manually. Furthermore, the segmentation performances of KAM and SPM2, (statistical parametric mapping, a MATLAB software package) were compared. Results The averaged volumetric agreements between KAM‐ and manually‐defined structures (both 0.95 for structures in healthy children and children with medulloblastoma) were higher than the volumetric agreement for SPM2 (0.90 and 0.80, respectively). The similarity measurements (kappa) between KAM‐ and manually‐defined structures (0.95 and 0.93, respectively) were higher than those for SPM2 (both 0.86). Conclusion We have developed a novel automatic algorithm, KAM, for segmentation of cortical structures on MR images of pediatric patients. Our preliminary results indicated that when segmenting cortical structures, KAM was in better agreement with manually‐delineated structures than SPM2. KAM can potentially be used to segment cortical structures for conformal radiation therapy planning and for quantitative evaluation of changes in disease or abnormality. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.