Heuristic Initialization for Active Contour Models in CT/MRI Image Processing

Abstract

It is an important segmentation approach of CT/MRI images to automatically extract contours in every slice using active contour models. The key point of the segmentation approach is to automatically construct initial contours for active contour models because any active contour model is sensitive to its initial contour. This paper presents an algorithm to construct such initial contours using a heuristic method. Assume that the contour in previous slice (previous contour) is accurate. The contour in the current slice (current contour) is constructed according to the previous contour using the way: Recognition and link of edge points of tissues according to the previous contour. The contour linking edge points is used as the initial contour of the distance regularized level set evolution (DRLSE) method and then an accurate contour can be extracted in the current slice.