Mitral Annulus Segmentation From 3D Ultrasound Using Graph Cuts

The shape of the mitral valve annulus is used in diagnostic and modeling applications, yet methods to accurately and reproducibly delineate the annulus are limited. This paper presents a mitral annulus segmentation algorithm designed for closed mitral valves which locates the annulus in threedimensional ultrasound using only a single user-specified point near the center of the valve. The algorithm first constructs a surface at the location of the thin leaflets, and then locates the annulus by finding where the thin leaflet tissue meets the thicker heart wall. The algorithm iterates until convergence metrics are satisfied, resulting in an operator-independent mitral annulus segmentation. The accuracy of the algorithm was assessed from both a diagnostic and surgical standpoint by comparing the algorithm's results to delineations made by a group of experts on clinical ultrasound images of the mitral valve, and to delineations made by an expert with a surgical view of the mitral annul...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: TMI
• Authors: Robert Schneider, Douglas P. Perrin, Nikolay V. Vasilyev, Gerald R. Marx, Pedro J. del Nido, Robert D. Howe
• Keywords: Management, Mitral Annulus, Mitral Annulus Segmentation, Mitral Valve, TMI 2010