Patent ID: 7496217

Claim:
A method for segmentation of section image data of an examination object for separation of at least one object element, comprising: selecting an anatomical norm model on the basis of the section image data to be segmented, the geometry of the norm model being variable on the basis of model parameters, the model parameters being organized hierarchically on the basis of their influence on the anatomical overall geometry of the model; matching, by an image computer, the norm model to a target structure, determined in the section image data, for individualization purposes in a number of iteration steps, wherein the number of model parameters being increased in accordance with their hierarchical organization as the number of iteration steps increases; and selecting, by the image computer, all of those pixels within the section image data, which at least one of lie within a contour of the individualized model or model element, and which differ from this individualized model or model element by at most a specific difference value.