Patent ID: 8036462

Claim:
A method for segmenting images comprising one or more structures, comprising the steps of, providing an image comprising a plurality of pixels; categorizing said pixels into a plurality of subsets using one or more indexes wherein at least one of said indexes comprises a shape index, wherein said shape index comprises a curvature based feature comprising θ ⁢ ⁢ ( x , y ) = tan - 1 ⁡ ( λ 1 ⁡ ( x , y ) λ 2 ⁡ ( x , y ) ) wherein x and y are image coordinates, λ 1 is an extent of curvature along a lowest curvature direction, λ 2 is an extent of curvature along a highest curvature direction, θ is an azimuth angle, λ 1 (x, y)≦λ 2 (x, y) and - 3 ⁢ π 4 ⁢ < _ ⁢ θ ⁡ ( x , y ) ⁢ < _ ⁢ π 4 ; determining a log-likelihood function of one or more of said indexes; generating one or more maps of one or more structures in the image based on said determination of said log-likelihood function of one or more of said indexes; and displaying one or more of the structures on a display device.