Deformable Organisms for Automatic Medical Image Analysis
Paper i proceeding, 2001

We introduce a new approach to medical image analysis that combines deformable model methodologies with concepts from the field of artificial life. In particular, we propose 'deformable organisms', autonomous agents whose task is the automatic segmentation, labeling, and quantitative analysis of anatomical structures in medical images. Analogous to natural organisms capable of voluntary movement, our artificial organisms possess deformable bodies with distributed sensors, as well as (rudimentary) brains with motor, perception, behavior, and cognition centers. Deformable organisms are perceptually aware of the image analysis process. Their behaviors, which manifest themselves in voluntary movement and alteration of body shape, are based upon sensed image features, pre-stored anatomical knowledge, and a deliberate cognitive plan. We demonstrate several prototype deformable organisms based on a multiscale axisymmetric body morphology, including a 'corpus callosum worm' that can overcome noise, incomplete edges, considerable anatomical variation, and interference from collateral structures to segment and label the corpus callosum in 2D mid-sagittal MR brain images.

medical image segmentation

artificial life

deformable models

intelligent agents

Författare

Ghassan Hamarneh

Chalmers, Signaler och system, Signalbehandling och medicinsk teknik

T. McInerney

D. Terzopoulos

Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention

Ämneskategorier

Data- och informationsvetenskap

DOI

10.1016/S1361-8415(02)00083-X

Mer information

Skapat

2017-10-08