Automatic segmentation of articulated structures

A computer-implemented method of segmenting articulated structures, comprising:

• (i) receiving a target image, a reference image, statistical shape models, local appearance models and a learned landmark detector;
• (ii) automatically detecting first centerline landmarks along centerlines of articulated structures in the target image using the learned landmark detector;
• (iii) determining a non-rigid transformation function that registers second centerline landmarks along centerlines of articulated structures in the reference image with the first centerline landmarks;
• (iv) deforming mean shapes of the statistical shape models to the target image space by applying the non-rigid transformation function on the mean shapes;
• (v) searching for candidate points in the mean shapes using the local appearance models;
• and
• (vi) fitting the mean shapes to the candidate points to generate a segmentation mask.

An image segmentation system, comprising:

• a non-transitory memory device for storing computer-readable program code;
• and
• a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor being operative with the computer-readable program code to perform steps comprising
• (i) receiving a target image, a reference image, statistical shape models and local appearance models,
• (ii) determining a non-rigid transformation function that registers first centerline landmarks along centerlines of articulated structures in the reference image with second centerline landmarks along centerlines of articulated structures in the target image,
• (iii) deforming mean shapes of the statistical shape models to the target image space by applying the non-rigid transformation function on the mean shapes,
• (iv) searching for candidate points in the mean shapes using the local appearance models, and
• (v) fitting the mean shapes to the candidate points to generate a segmentation mask.