Automatic heart wall contour extraction from MR images using active contour models: Initial contour setting based on principal component analysis

For the problem of initial value setting, which will become a problem in contour extraction using active contour models, we propose in this paper a scheme for effectively inputting the initial values by facilitating user input with statistical models of the contour shapes of the heart wall. We also describe a scheme for extracting and tracking the left ventricular contour of the heart from the MR images by the edge detection method adapted to low-contrast images. Moreover, we will show the validity of the proposed scheme by comparison with the manually traced results of physicians.