2010 Winter Project Week Spine Segmentation Module in Slicer3
Interface of the SpineSegmentation module in Slicer 3.5
Results of the SpineSegmentation module in Slicer 3.5
3D meshes of our automated segmentation results
Double cylinder used for our model-based segmentation algorithm
Key Investigators
- Sylvain Jaume (MIT)
- Martin Loepprich (University of Heidelberg)
- Ron Kikinis, Steve Pieper (BWH)
- Polina Golland (MIT)
Objective
We are developing a Slicer module to segment the region within the thecal sac in MRI images of the spine. Our objective is to provide a segmentation and visualization tool to improve the treatment of disc herniation. The structures of interests are the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF), the discs, the vertebrae and the spinal nerves. The main challenge is to perform the segmentation in a fully automated way.
Approach, Plan
Our plan for the project week is to integrate our code into Slicer 3.5. Our code analyzes the intensity profile of different regions in the MRI and automatically defines the optimum region for the CSF.
Progress
The algorithm has been implemented in Slicer 3.5 as an extension module. The code is organized as ITK and VTK classes. No interaction is required. The module has been tested on data sets acquired at Brigham and Women's Hospital using the Wideband Steady-State Free-Precession (WB-SSFP) MRI protocol [Krishna Nayak 2007].
