Patent Document ID: 7536041
Application ID: 10560185
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of segmenting a three-dimensional structure of interest which is contained in an object using a plurality of two-dimensional images, wherein each of the plurality of images represents a slice of the object, the method comprising the steps of: automatically determining which images of the plurality of two-dimensional images have insufficient feature information for the structure of interest, including the steps of: computer segmenting the structure of interest in each of the plurality of two-dimensional images to generate computer segmented two-dimensional contours; computer identifying the two-dimensional images of the plurality of two-dimensional images with insufficient feature information for the structure of interest on the basis of at least one decision criterion; manually drawing attractors in the form of at least a partial contour of the structure of interest in the two-dimensional images of the plurality of two-dimensional images with insufficient feature information; and with a computer, segmenting the structure of interest with a three-dimensional segmentation process using the attractors and the computer segmented contours of the plurality of two-dimensional images the three-dimensional segmenting including: fitting a deformable model whose surface is formed by a network of meshes which interconnect network points on the surface of the deformable model to the structure of interest to the attractors and the computer segmented contours; and iteratively reconfiguring the deformable model based on an iterative optimization of an internal energy based on a distance between the deformable model after adaptation and the deformable model and an external energy based on a distance between the deformable model after adaptation and feature points on the structure of interest.