Patent ID: 8532358

Claim:
A computer implemented method for segmenting tubular components in a digital medical image, the method performed by the computer comprising the steps of: providing a segmented anatomical image of a tubular branching structure; providing at least one image selected from a time series of magnetic resonance (MR) flow images of said tubular branching structure, wherein each said flow image for a given time point comprises a plurality of 3-dimensional flow vectors associated with a 3-dimensional grid of points; separating said segmented tubular branching structure into separate components; using an expected model of a tree branching structure to classifying each component into one of two groups, wherein a first group is an isolated tree component, and a second group is a tree component with additional components; separating components in the second group wherein all separated components are isolated tree components, based on said expected model of a tree branching structure; and reconnecting all components based on said expected model using physical connections and predicted headings of said tree branching structure model, and using an MR flow image, by evaluating touching components at a region in the flow image where said components touch, wherein if flow vectors in one touching component point towards the other component, reconnecting said two components.