title: A dynamic elastic model for segmentation and tracking of the heart in MR image sequences.
abstract: Strong prior models are a prerequisite for reliable spatio-temporal cardiac image analysis. While several cardiac models have been presented in the past, many of them are either too complex for their parameters to be estimated on the sole basis of MR Images, or overly simplified. In this paper, we present a novel dynamic model, based on the equation of dynamics for elastic materials and on Fourier filtering. The explicit use of dynamics allows us to enforce periodicity and temporal smoothness constraints. We propose an algorithm to solve the continuous dynamical problem associated to numerically adapting the model to the image sequence. Using a simple 1D example, we show how temporal filtering can help removing noise while ensuring the periodicity and smoothness of solutions. The proposed dynamic model is quantitatively evaluated on a database of 15 patients which shows its performance and limitations. Also, the ability of the model to capture cardiac motion is demonstrated on synthetic cardiac sequences. Moreover, existence, uniqueness of the solution and numerical convergence of the algorithm can be demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Creatis-LRMN, CNRS UMR #5220, INSERM U630, INSA Bât. Blaise Pascal, F-69621 Villeurbanne Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schaerer
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casta
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pousin
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clarysse
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000502:physiology; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013382:Subtraction Technique