Blood vessel structure segmentation system and method
First Claim
1. A method of segmenting an image of a plurality of structures stored as a set of spatially related data points representing variations in a predetermined parameter, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a seed point within a structure to be segmented, assigning to each of the data points a preliminary value of connectivity indicative of the confidence that respective ones of the data points are part of the same structure as said seed point, selecting an end point within the structure to be segmented, defining a connected sequence of data points having a preliminary connectivity value above a predetermined value, starting with said seed point and ending with said end point, defining for each data point of said connected sequence of data points an associated set of points, and assigning to said each data point of said connected sequence of data points a final value of connectivity indicative of the confidence that respective points of said associated set of points are part of the same structure as said seed point and said end point.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a system and method for segmenting an image of a plurality of structures stored as a set of spatially related data points. The data points represent variations in a predetermined parameter which allows the segmentation to occur. Once the data is acquired, a seed point is selected indicating a structure of interest. Each of the data points is assigned a value of connectivity as to the confidence that it is part of the same structure of the seed point. An endpoint is selected of the structure of interest and a path is built between the seed point and the end point based on the values of connectivity. Planes are cut along the path and a final connectivity is determined using the data points located on each plane thereby producing a final segmented image.
19 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of segmenting an image of a plurality of structures stored as a set of spatially related data points representing variations in a predetermined parameter, said method comprising the steps of:
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selecting a seed point within a structure to be segmented, assigning to each of the data points a preliminary value of connectivity indicative of the confidence that respective ones of the data points are part of the same structure as said seed point, selecting an end point within the structure to be segmented, defining a connected sequence of data points having a preliminary connectivity value above a predetermined value, starting with said seed point and ending with said end point, defining for each data point of said connected sequence of data points an associated set of points, and assigning to said each data point of said connected sequence of data points a final value of connectivity indicative of the confidence that respective points of said associated set of points are part of the same structure as said seed point and said end point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An imaging apparatus comprising:
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a data storage having a set of spatially related data points representing variations in a predetermined parameter, a first comparator to compare a value of said predetermined parameter at said data points with that of a seed point part of a structure and establish a preliminary value of connectivity indicative of the confidence that respective ones of said data points are part of the same structure as said seed point, and a second comparator to compare said preliminary value of connectivity of a sequence of said data points connecting said seed point to an end point part of said structure with that of a set of points associated with respective ones of said data points to establish a final value of connectivity indicative of the confidence that respective ones of said data points are part of the same structure as said seed point and said end point. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification