Airway Tree Segmentation from CT Scans Using Gradient-Guided 3D Region Growing

In this paper a new approach to CT based investigation of pulmonary airways is introduced. Especially a new - fully automated algorithm for airway tree segmentation is proposed. The algorithm is based on 3D seeded region growing. However in opposite to traditional approaches region growing is applied twice: firstly --- for detecting main bronchi, secondly --- for localizing low order parts of the airway tree. The growth of distal parts of the airway tree is driven by a map constructed on the basis of morphological gradient.

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