醫工所Chen, Chung-MingChung-MingChenChou, Yi-HongYi-HongChouChen, Curtis S.K.Curtis S.K.ChenCheng, Jie-ZhiJie-ZhiChengOu, Yen-FuYen-FuOuYeh, Fang-ChengFang-ChengYehChen, Kuei-WuKuei-WuChen2009-01-202018-06-292009-01-202018-06-292005http://ntur.lib.ntu.edu.tw//handle/246246/105200Segmentation of multiple objects with irregular contours and surrounding sporadic spots is a common practice in ultrasound image analysis. A new region-based approach, called cell-competition algorithm, is proposed for simultaneous segmentation of multiple objects in a sonogram. The algorithm is composed of two essential ideas. One is simultaneous cell-based deformation of regions and the other is cell competition. The cells are generated by two-pass watershed transformations. The cell-competition algorithm has been validated with 13 synthetic images of different contrast-to-noise ratios and 71 breast sonograms. Three assessments have been carried out and the results show that the boundaries derived by the cell-competition algorithm are reasonably comparable to those delineated manually. Moreover, the cell-competition algorithm is robust to the variation of regions-of-interest and a range of thresholds required for the second-pass watershed transformation. The proposed algorithm is also shown to be superior to the region-competition algorithm for both types of images. (E- mail: chung@ntu.edu.tw)en-USSegmentationMultiple objectsUltrasound imagesBreast lesionsRegion competitionCell competition[SDGs]SDG3Biological organs; Cell culture; Cells; Image analysis; Image segmentation; Ultrasonics; Breast lesions; Cell competition; Multiple objects; Region competition; Segmentation; Ultrasound images; Watershed transforms; Algorithms; algorithm; article; breast; comparative study; echography; image analysis; image display; imaging system; priority journal; Algorithms; Breast Diseases; Female; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Ultrasonography; Ultrasonography, Mammary10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2005.09.0112-s2.0-28844489860