title: Two-phase active contour method for semiautomatic segmentation of the heart and blood vessels from MRI images for 3D visualization.
abstract: The paper presents an active-contour segmentation method for 2D structures in MR images. The method combines two approaches to active contour segmentation, known as balloons and snakes. This makes the method shape independent and accurate. New anti-tangling features were introduced to improve segmentation of very complex object shapes, e.g. the left ventricle with papillary muscles. The method was applied to segment all large structures in the cardiovascular system and its outcome was used for 3D visualization.
authors.affiliation: MR-Research Center, Institute of Experimental Clinical Research, Aarhus University Hospital, Brendstrupgaardsvej 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. makowski@ck-sg.p.lodz.pl
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Makowski
authors.forename: Thomas Sangild
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: Søren Vorre
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Therkildsen
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Materka
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stødkilde-Jørgensen
authors.forename: Erik Morre
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pedersen
mesh_terms: D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*