A New Approach of Arc Skeletonization for Tree-like Objects Using Minimum Cost Path

Dakai Jin; Krishna S Iyer; Eric A Hoffman; Punam K Saha

doi:10.1109/ICPR.2014.172

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Conference proceeding

A New Approach of Arc Skeletonization for Tree-like Objects Using Minimum Cost Path

Dakai Jin, Krishna S Iyer, Eric A Hoffman and Punam K Saha

2014 22nd International Conference on Pattern Recognition, Vol.2014, pp.942-947

08/2014

DOI: 10.1109/ICPR.2014.172

PMCID: PMC4303904

PMID: 25621320

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/4303904View

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Abstract

Traditional arc skeletonization algorithms using the principle of Blum's transform, often, produce unwanted spurious branches due to boundary irregularities and digital effects on objects and other artifacts. This paper presents a new robust approach of extracting arc skeletons for three-dimensional (3-D) elongated fuzzy objects, which avoids spurious branches without requiring post-pruning. Starting from a root voxel, the method iteratively expands the skeleton by adding a new branch in each iteration that connects the farthest voxel to the current skeleton using a minimum-cost geodesic path. The path-cost function is formulated using a novel measure of local significance factor defined by fuzzy distance transform field, which forces the path to stick to the centerline of the object. The algorithm terminates when dilated skeletal branches fill the entire object volume or the current farthest voxel fails to generate a meaningful branch. Accuracy of the algorithm has been evaluated using computer-generated blurred and noisy phantoms with known skeletons. Performance of the method in terms of false and missing skeletal branches, as defined by human expert, has been examined using in vivo CT imaging of human intrathoracic airways. Experimental results from both experiments have established the superiority of the new method as compared to a widely used conventional method in terms of accuracy of medialness as well as robustness of true and false skeletal branches.

Computed Tomography

Algorithm design and analysis

airway tree

Phantoms

geodesic distance

minimum cost path

Skeleton

distance transform

Noise measurement

Arc skeletonization

Signal to noise ratio

Details

Title: Subtitle: A New Approach of Arc Skeletonization for Tree-like Objects Using Minimum Cost Path
Creators: Dakai Jin - Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Krishna S Iyer - Dept. of Radiol., Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Eric A Hoffman - Dept. of Radiol., Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Punam K Saha - Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Resource Type: Conference proceeding
Publication Details: 2014 22nd International Conference on Pattern Recognition, Vol.2014, pp.942-947
DOI: 10.1109/ICPR.2014.172
PMID: 25621320
PMCID: PMC4303904
ISSN: 1051-4651
Publisher: IEEE
Language: English
Date published: 08/2014
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Radiology; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984051526702771

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