Finding the brain cortex using fuzzy segmentation, isosurfaces, and deformable surface models

Abstract

A method for finding the cortical surface of the brain from magnetic resonance images using a combination of fuzzy segmentation, isosurface extraction, and a deformable surface is presented. After MR images are acquired and preprocessed to remove extracranial tissue, fuzzy membership functions for gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid are computed. An iterative procedure using isosurfaces of filtered white matter membership functions is then used to obtain a topologically correct estimate of the cortical surface. This estimate forms the initialization of a deformable surface, which is then allowed to converge to peaks of the gray matter membership function. We demonstrate the results of each step and show the final parameterized map of the medial layer of the cortex.