CHAPTER 1 MODELING FOR MEDICAL IMAGE ANALYSIS: FRAMEWORK AND APPLICATIONS

In the chapter, we discuss how medical image analysis can take advantage of computational modeling. First, a general framework of model-based approach is presented, whose objective is enabling to relate external descriptions to internal processes, which originate them. Two coupled models i.e. model of an organ under study and model of an imaging modality, constitute main components of this framework. Then, a few applications of the presented approach are described. Two vital abdominal organs, namely liver and kidney, are considered and their typical pathological processes connected with significant vascular modifications are analyzed. Resulting patterns are observed by means of dynamic Computed Tomography, when contrast material injection and propagation are simulated. Texture features are extracted from regions of interest defined in simulated images in different acquisition conditions. Studying evolution of features allows us to better understand both advantages and limitations of texture analysis and is very helpful in proper medical image interpretation