A Fully Global Approach to Image Segmentation via Coupled Curve Evolution Equations

In this paper, we develop a novel region-based approach to snakes designed to optimally separate the values of certain image statistics over a known number of region types. Multiple sets of contours deform according to a coupled set of curve evolution equations derived from a single global cost functional. The resulting active contour model, in contrast to many other edge and region based models, is fully global in that the evolution of each curve depends at all times upon every pixel in the image and is directly coupled to the evolution of every other curve regardless of their mutual proximity. As such evolving contours enjoy a very wide “field of view, ” endowing the algorithm with a robustness to initial contour placement above and beyond the significant improvement exhibited by other region based snakes over earlier edge based snakes. C ○ 2002 Elsevier Science (USA) Key Words: active contours; curve evolution; snakes; segmentation; gradient flows