Brain tumor segmentation in MRI by using the fuzzy connectedness method

Jian-Guo Liu; Jayaram K. Udupa; David Hackney; Gul Moonis

doi:10.1117/12.431027

3 July 2001 Brain tumor segmentation in MRI by using the fuzzy connectedness method

Jian-Guo Liu, Jayaram K. Udupa, David Hackney, Gul Moonis

Proceedings Volume 4322, Medical Imaging 2001: Image Processing; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.431027
Event: Medical Imaging 2001, 2001, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

The aim of this paper is the precise and accurate quantification of brain tumor via MRI. This is very useful in evaluating disease progression, response to therapy, and the need for changes in treatment plans. We use multiple MRI protocols including FLAIR, T1, and T1 with Gd enhancement to gather information about different aspects of the tumor and its vicinity- edema, active regions, and scar left over due to surgical intervention. We have adapted the fuzzy connectedness framework to segment tumor and to measure its volume. The method requires only limited user interaction in routine clinical MRI. The first step in the process is to apply an intensity normalization method to the images so that the same body region has the same tissue meaning independent of the scanner and patient. Subsequently, a fuzzy connectedness algorithm is utilized to segment the different aspects of the tumor. The system has been tested, for its precision, accuracy, and efficiency, utilizing 40 patient studies. The percent coefficient of variation (% CV) in volume due to operator subjectivity in specifying seeds for fuzzy connectedness segmentation is less than 1%. The mean operator and computer time taken per study is 3 minutes. The package is designed to run under operator supervision. Delineation has been found to agree with the operators' visual inspection most of the time except in some cases when the tumor is close to the boundary of the brain. In the latter case, the scalp is included in the delineation and an operator has to exclude this manually. The methodology is rapid, robust, consistent, yielding highly reproducible measurements, and is likely to become part of the routine evaluation of brain tumor patients in our health system.

Citation Download Citation

Jian-Guo Liu, Jayaram K. Udupa, David Hackney, and Gul Moonis "Brain tumor segmentation in MRI by using the fuzzy connectedness method", Proc. SPIE 4322, Medical Imaging 2001: Image Processing, (3 July 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.431027

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