title: Overlap detection and contour-tracking algorithms for critical organs--application to kidney.
abstract: An auto-contouring technique has been developed for critical structures on transverse Computer Tomographic (CT) images with one or two overlap regions where object and background have similar CT values. In this technique, those regions are identified and skipped during contour tracking. The contours thus obtained are discontinuous which are corrected afterwards by suitable interpolations. The overlap detection criterion is never satisfied in a nonoverlapping environment and the contour, in this case, is essentially tracked on the basis of CT value threshold alone. The entire process can be initiated by minimal operator intervention. The method has been successfully tested for kidneys and several examples are furnished. The success and concomitant limitations of this technique are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steiger
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012107:Research Design; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*