National Institutes of Health, a Component of the US Dept. of Health & Human Services

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Jianhua Yao

Ronald M Summers

C Daniel Johnson

A virtual anatomical structure can be analyzed to determine enclosing three-dimensional boundaries of features therein. Various techniques can be used to determine tissue types in the virtual anatomical structure. For example, tissue types can be determined via an iso-boundary between lumen and air in the virtual anatomical structure and a fuzzy clustering approach. Based on the tissue type determination, a deformable model approach can be used to determine an enclosing three-dimensional boundary of a feature in the virtual anatomical structure. The enclosing three-dimensional boundary can be used to determine characteristics of the feature and classify it as of interest or not of interest.

Determination of feature boundaries in a digital representation of an anatomical structure

Portions of a virtual colon can be analyzed to identify a normal structure, such as an ileocecal valve. Paradigmatic characteristics of ileocecal valves can be used to identify a digital representation as an ileocecal valve. Upon determination that a digital representation has the characteristics of an ileocecal valve, action can be taken. For example, the digital representation can be removed from a list of polyp candidates.

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Laurel, MD, United States of America

Jianhua Yao