Shape tracking and registration for 4D visualization of MRI and structure

Abstract

We describe our preliminary research on integrating MRI video with a 3D surface scan of a face. Our approach first extracts contours of a video by using snakes [4, 5]; then the outline structure of the video is matched with a close matching contour on the 3D face structure. The matching and alignment of the two representations uses curvature representations along with some simple heuristics about the relative locations of the facial features, such as nose and chin. Even though techniques like video fluoroscopy [8] can create high quality images, it subjects patients to high volumes of radiation, and cannot be used to monitor patients over short time intervals. Our alternative combines MRI video with 3D facial structure to improve visualization for medical professionals. The MRI video was created in our related research [7] by registering multiple MRI sequences of swallowing. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.