Non-rigid registration for automatic fracture segmentation

Automatic segmentation of anatomical structures is often performed using model-based non-rigid registration methods. These algorithms work well when the images do not contain any large deviations from the normal anatomy. We have previously used such a method to generate patient specific models of hip bones for surgery simulation. The method that was used, the morphon method, registers two-or three-dimensional images using a multi-resolution deformation scheme. A prototype image is iteratively registered to a target image using quadrature filter phase difference to estimate the local displacement. The morphon method has in this work been extended to deal with automatic segmentation of fractured bones. Two features have been added. First, the method is modified such that multiple prototypes (in this case two) can be used. Second, normalised convolution is utilized for the displacement estimation, to guide the registration of the second prototype, based on the result of the registration of the first one.