title: Multi-atlas segmentation with robust label transfer and label fusion.
abstract: Multi-atlas segmentation has been widely applied in medical image analysis. This technique relies on image registration to transfer segmentation labels from pre-labeled atlases to a novel target image and applies label fusion to reduce errors produced by registration-based label transfer. To improve the performance of registration-based label transfer against registration errors, our first contribution is to propose a label transfer scheme that generates multiple warped versions of each atlas to one target image through registration paths obtained by composing inter-atlas registrations and atlas-target registrations. The problem of decreasing quality of warped atlases caused by accumulative errors in composing multiple registrations is properly addressed by an atlas selection method that is guided by atlas segmentations. To improve the performance of label fusion against registration errors, our second contribution is to integrate the probabilistic correspondence model employed by the non-local mean approach with the joint label fusion technique, both of which have shown excellent performance for label fusion. Experiments on mitral-valve segmentation in 3D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) show the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.
authors.forename: Hongzhi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pouch
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takabe
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Yushkevich
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013382:Subtraction Technique