title: A conditional statistical shape model with integrated error estimation of the conditions; application to liver segmentation in non-contrast CT images.
abstract: This paper presents a novel conditional statistical shape model in which the condition can be relaxed instead of being treated as a hard constraint. The major contribution of this paper is the integration of an error model that estimates the reliability of the observed conditional features and subsequently relaxes the conditional statistical shape model accordingly. A three-step pipeline consisting of (1) conditional feature extraction from a maximum a posteriori estimation, (2) shape prior estimation through the novel level set based conditional statistical shape model with integrated error model and (3) subsequent graph cuts segmentation based on the estimated shape prior is applied to automatic liver segmentation from non-contrast abdominal CT volumes. Comparison with three other state of the art methods shows the superior performance of the proposed algorithm.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Nakacho 2-24-16, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Sho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomoshige
authors.forename: Elco
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oost
authors.forename: Akinobu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Hidefumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nawano
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016477:Artifacts; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; 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; D018511:Systems Integration; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Conditional statistical shape model; Level set; Liver segmentation; Non-contrast CT volume