3D segmentation of the colon in MR colonography

A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying instructions executable by a processor to perform a method for segmenting a tubular structure, comprising:

• computer readable medium embodying instructions for providing a three-dimensional image including the tubular structure;
• computer readable medium embodying instructions for providing at least one seed point within a lumen of the tubular structure;
• computer readable medium embodying instructions for fitting an initial cylinder into the tubular structure at the seed point;
• computer readable medium embodying instructions for adding cylinder segments to the initial cylinder in forward and backward directions within the three-dimensional image by tracking over the tubular structure;
• computer readable medium embodying instructions for modeling each cylinder segment using parameters to account for a three-dimensional orientation, a radius, a length and a curvature;
• computer readable medium embodying instructions for describing an intensity image of the tubular structure using a second model to represent an edge and intensity distribution of the tubular structure;
• computer readable medium embodying instructions for fitting the parameters as the cylinder segment is added to the intensity image;
• and
• computer readable medium embodying instructions for outputting cylinder segments as a segmentation of the tube.

A system for segmenting a tubular structure comprising:

• a memory device storing a dataset comprising a three-dimensional image containing the tubular structure including at least one seed point within the tubular structure and a plurality of instructions embodying the system for segmenting a tube;
• and
• a processor for receiving the dataset and executing the plurality of instructions to perform a method comprising,
• fitting an initial cylinder into the tubular structure at the seed point;
• adding cylinder segments to the initial cylinder in forward and backward directions within the three-dimensional image by tracking the cylinder segments over the tubular structure;
• modeling each cylinder segment using parameters to account for a three-dimensional orientation, a radius, a length and a curvature;
• describing an intensity image of the tubular stricture using a second model to represent an edge and intensity distribution of the tubular structure;
• fitting the parameters as the cylinder segment is added to the intensity image;
• and
• outputting cylinder segments as a segmentation of the tube.