Cell-competition algorithm: a new segmentation algorithm for multiple objects with irregular boundaries in ultrasound images.
Segmentation of multiple objects with irregular contours and surrounding sporadic spots is a common practice in ultrasound image analysis. A new region-based approach, called cell-competition algorithm, is proposed for simultaneous segmentation of multiple objects in a sonogram. The algorithm is composed of two essential ideas. One is simultaneous cell-based deformation of regions and the other is cell competition. The cells are generated by two-pass watershed transformations. The cell-competition algorithm has been validated with 13 synthetic images of different contrast-to-noise ratios and 71 breast sonograms. Three assessments have been carried out and the results show that the boundaries derived by the cell-competition algorithm are reasonably comparable to those delineated manually. Moreover, the cell-competition algorithm is robust to the variation of regions-of-interest and a range of thresholds required for the second-pass watershed transformation. The proposed algorithm is also shown to be superior to the region-competition algorithm for both types of images.
Chen
Chung-Ming
CM
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. chung@ntu.edu.tw
Chou
Yi-Hong
YH
Chen
Curtis S K
CS
Cheng
Jie-Zhi
JZ
Ou
Yen-Fu
YF
Yeh
Fang-Cheng
FC
Chen
Kuei-Wu
KW
D000465:Algorithms; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods