Problems related to automatic nipple extraction

Abstract

Computerized analysis of mammograms can serve as a secondary opinion, improving consistency by providing a standardized approach to mammogram interpretation, and increasing detection sensitivity. However, before any computer aided mammography algorithm can be applied to the nipple, one of several important anatomical features, need to extracted. This is challenging since the contrast near the border of the breast, and thus the nipple in mammograms, is very low. Therefore, in order to develop more robust and accurate methods, it is important to restrict the search area for automatic nipple location. We propose an automatic initialization of the search area of the nipple by combining a geometrical assumptions verified against the MIAS database regarding the location of the nipple along the breast border and a geometrical model for deciding how far into the breast region the nipple can occur. In addition, the modelling reduces the need for parameters determining the search area and thus making the method more general. We also investigate the variance between the medical experts often use as ground truth when determining performance measures for developed medical methods. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.