超声图像中颈动脉血管内外膜分割

Intima and adventitia segmentation of the common carotid artery in ultrasound images based on active contour model

提出了一种自动快速的基于活动轮廓模型的超声图像颈动脉血管内外膜分割方法.该方法给出一种快速有效的颈动脉内膜初始轮廓确定方法,使用改进的活动轮廓模型对内外膜进行分割,包括使用新的外部能量函数来检测内膜,以及各向异性扩散滤波(AD)后使用GVF外力场来改善外膜的检测.提出的方法在临床数据测试中得到验证,分割结果与心血管超声专家手工勾勒的结果相符合.该方法能测量内中膜沿血管轴心线方向的厚度变化曲线,为心血管疾病的诊断、治疗研究提供重要的参数和诊断参考依据.

An automatic approach based on active contour model was proposed to detect intima and adventitia of carotid artery in ultrasonic images. This method begins with a fast and effective initial contour searching algorithm for intima detection, followed by segmentation of intima-media complex using improved active contour model. Customized external potentials were applied to detect intima and GVF force field after anisotropic diffusion was employed to deform adventitia. The method proposed in this paper has been validated by clinical data set. It can be applicable to quantitative analysis and diagnostic reference for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of cardiovascular diseases.