title: Separation of left and right lungs using 3-dimensional information of sequential computed tomography images and a guided dynamic programming algorithm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article presents a new computerized scheme that aims to accurately and robustly separate left and right lungs on computed tomography (CT) examinations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed and tested a method to separate the left and right lungs using sequential CT information and a guided dynamic programming algorithm using adaptively and automatically selected start point and end point with especially severe and multiple connections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scheme successfully identified and separated all 827 connections on the total 4034 CT images in an independent testing data set of CT examinations. The proposed scheme separated multiple connections regardless of their locations, and the guided dynamic programming algorithm reduced the computation time to approximately 4.6% in comparison with the traditional dynamic programming and avoided the permeation of the separation boundary into normal lung tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed method is able to robustly and accurately disconnect all connections between left and right lungs, and the guided dynamic programming algorithm is able to remove redundant processing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea. park.sangc@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sang Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joseph Ken
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Leader
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Guee Sang
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soo Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In Seop
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*