title: A novel region-based level set method initialized with mean shift clustering for automated medical image segmentation.
abstract: Appropriate initialization and stable evolution are desirable criteria to satisfy in level set methods. In this study, a novel region-based level set method utilizing both global and local image information complementarily is proposed. The global image information is extracted from mean shift clustering without any prior knowledge. Appropriate initial contours are obtained by regulating the clustering results. The local image information, as extracted by a data fitting energy, is employed to maintain a stable evolution of the zero level set curves. The advantages of the proposed method are as follows. First, the controlling parameters of the evolution can be easily estimated by the clustering results. Second, the automaticity of the model increases because of a reduction in computational cost and manual intervention. Experimental results confirm the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method for medical image segmentation.
authors.affiliation: College of Information and Electrical Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qing'dao 266590, PR China. Electronic address: bprbjd@163.com.
authors.forename: Pei Rui
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Qing Yi
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sheng Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mao Yong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Global region information; Level set methods; Local region information; Mean shift clustering; Medical image segmentation