Automatic intracranial space segmentation for computed tomography brain images

J Digit Imaging. 2013 Jun;26(3):563-71. doi: 10.1007/s10278-012-9529-8.

Abstract

Craniofacial disorders are routinely diagnosed using computed tomography imaging. Corrective surgery is often performed early in life to restore the skull to a more normal shape. In order to quantitatively assess the shape change due to surgery, we present an automated method for intracranial space segmentation. The method utilizes a two-stage approach which firstly initializes the segmentation with a cascade of mathematical morphology operations. This segmentation is then refined with a level-set-based approach that ensures that low-contrast boundaries, where bone is absent, are completed smoothly. We demonstrate this method on a dataset of 43 images and show that the method produces consistent and accurate results.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms*
  • Brain Mapping / methods
  • Craniosynostoses / diagnostic imaging*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Male
  • Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*