Interactive Hierarchical-Flow Segmentation of Scar Tissue From Late-Enhancement Cardiac MR Images

IEEE Trans Med Imaging. 2014 Jan;33(1):159-72. doi: 10.1109/TMI.2013.2282932. Epub 2013 Sep 20.

Abstract

We propose a novel multi-region image segmentation approach to extract myocardial scar tissue from 3-D whole-heart cardiac late-enhancement magnetic resonance images in an interactive manner. For this purpose, we developed a graphical user interface to initialize a fast max-flow-based segmentation algorithm and segment scar accurately with progressive interaction. We propose a partially-ordered Potts (POP) model to multi-region segmentation to properly encode the known spatial consistency of cardiac regions. Its generalization introduces a custom label/region order constraint to Potts model to multi-region segmentation. The combinatorial optimization problem associated with the proposed POP model is solved by means of convex relaxation, for which a novel multi-level continuous max-flow formulation, i.e., the hierarchical continuous max-flow (HMF) model, is proposed and studied. We demonstrate that the proposed HMF model is dual or equivalent to the convex relaxed POP model and introduces a new and efficient hierarchical continuous max-flow based algorithm by modern convex optimization theory. In practice, the introduced hierarchical continuous max-flow based algorithm can be implemented on the parallel GPU to achieve significant acceleration in numerics. Experiments are performed in 50 whole heart 3-D LE datasets, 35 with left-ventricular and 15 with right-ventricular scar. The experimental results are compared to full-width-at-half-maximum and Signal-threshold to reference-mean methods using manual expert myocardial segmentations and operator variabilities and the effect of user interaction are assessed. The results indicate a substantial reduction in image processing time with robust accuracy for detection of myocardial scar. This is achieved without the need for additional region constraints and using a single optimization procedure, substantially reducing the potential for error.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Contrast Media / administration & dosage
  • Gadolinium / administration & dosage*
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Myocardial Infarction / pathology*
  • Myocardium / pathology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • User-Computer Interface*

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Gadolinium