title: Automated 3-D segmentation of lungs with lung cancer in CT data using a novel robust active shape model approach.
abstract: Segmentation of lungs with (large) lung cancer regions is a nontrivial problem. We present a new fully automated approach for segmentation of lungs with such high-density pathologies. Our method consists of two main processing steps. First, a novel robust active shape model (RASM) matching method is utilized to roughly segment the outline of the lungs. The initial position of the RASM is found by means of a rib cage detection method. Second, an optimal surface finding approach is utilized to further adapt the initial segmentation result to the lung. Left and right lungs are segmented individually. An evaluation on 30 data sets with 40 abnormal (lung cancer) and 20 normal left/right lungs resulted in an average Dice coefficient of   0.975±0.006 and a mean absolute surface distance error of  0.84±0.23 mm, respectively. Experiments on the same 30 data sets showed that our methods delivered statistically significant better segmentation results, compared to two commercially available lung segmentation approaches. In addition, our RASM approach is generally applicable and suitable for large shape models.
authors: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. shanhuisun@uiowa.edu
authors: Shanhui
authors: S
authors: Sun
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Bauer
authors: Reinhard
authors: R
authors: Beichel
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D008954:Models, Biological; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*