Method for determining the contour of an in vivo organ using multiple

Abstract

A method for automatically evaluating image data taking over a sequence of image frames to determine a contour of a left ventricle (LV). The sequence of image frames are converted to digital data that identify a gray scale value for each pixel in each image frame. Using probability, an initial LV region is estimated based upon previously determined a priori parameters that are derived from processing manually drawn contours of the LV in other hearts, for the sequence of image frames being analyzed. The initial estimate of the LV region is refined using motion constraints, which are also derived from training data determined from the manually-drawn contours of other hearts. An LV region is estimated and its coordinates are extracted for use in applying global shape constraints that provide a more accurate LV boundary estimate for the region around an apex of the left ventricle. Finally, the estimated LV boundary estimate is tested for consistency, yielding an accepted estimate, or warning that the estimate is unreliable. The resulting automatically determined contours of each image frame can be displayed almost immediately after the image data are produced so that a physician can more readily diagnose physiological defects of the heart.