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Patent Number: 6,690,816
Date of Patent: 10 February 2004
Inventors: Aylward; Stephen R. (Carrboro, NC); Bullitt; Elizabeth (Durham, NC); Pizer; Stephen M. (Chapel Hill, NC); Fritsch; Daniel (Chapel Hill, NC)
Assignee: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Appl. No.: 828200
Filed: April 9, 2001
Int. Cl.: G06K 009/00
U.S. Cl.: 382/128; 600/407
32 Claims

Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for processing tubular objects in multi-dimensional images. The processing includes generating representations of tubular objects which enable subsequent analysis. Systems and methods for processing tubular objects in a multi-dimensional image include establishing a seed points in a multi-dimensional image, searching for an extremum point corresponding to a tubular object having a central curve of intensity extrema, and extracting a one-dimensional central track corresponding to the tubular object and extents corresponding to a plurality of cross-sections along the tubular object. A number of embodiments are presented which apply the systems and methods to a variety of imaging applications.