Projects:NerveSegmentation

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Nerve Segmentation

Automatic segmentation of neural tracts in the dural sac and outside of the spinal canal is important for diagnosis and surgical planning. The variability in intensity, contrast, shape and direction of nerves in high resolution MR images makes segmentation a challenging task. In this paper, we present an automatic tracking method for nerve segmentation based on particle filters. We develop a novel approach to particle representation and dynamics, based on B\'{e}zier splines. Moreover, we introduce a robust image likelihood model that enables delineation of nerve bundles and ganglia from the surrounding anatomical structures. We demonstrate accurate and fast nerve tracking when compared to expert manual segmentation.