title: Atlas-based fuzzy connectedness segmentation and intensity nonuniformity correction applied to brain MRI.
abstract: A framework that combines atlas registration, fuzzy connectedness (FC) segmentation, and parametric bias field correction (PABIC) is proposed for the automatic segmentation of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). First, the atlas is registered onto the MRI to initialize the following FC segmentation. Original techniques are proposed to estimate necessary initial parameters of FC segmentation. Further, the result of the FC segmentation is utilized to initialize a following PABIC algorithm. Finally, we re-apply the FC technique on the PABIC corrected MRI to get the final segmentation. Thus, we avoid expert human intervention and provide a fully automatic method for brain MRI segmentation. Experiments on both simulated and real MRI images demonstrate the validity of the method, as well as the limitation of the method. Being a fully automatic method, it is expected to find wide applications, such as three-dimensional visualization, radiation therapy planning, and medical database construction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China. zhouyongxin@263.net
authors.forename: Yongxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000716:Anatomy, Artistic / Q000379:methods; D016477:Artifacts; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D017143:Fuzzy Logic; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008488:Medical Illustration; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013382:Subtraction Technique