Abstract (EN)

Abstract. We present a new interactive method for tubular structure extraction, like vessels in 2D and 3D images. The basic tools are minimal paths solved using the fast marching algorithm. Our method is based on a variant of the minimal path method that models the vessel as a centerline and surface. The crucial step of our method is the definition of the local metrics to minimize. We have chosen to exploit the tubular structure of the vessels one wants to extract to built an anisotropic metric. The designed metric is well oriented along the direction of the vessel, admits higher velocity on the centerline, and provides a good estimate of the vessel radius. Based on the optimally oriented flux this measure is required to be robust against the disturbance introduced by noise or adjacent structures with intensity similar to the target vessel.