Spotlight: Automated confidence-based user guidance for increasing efficiency in interactive 3D image segmentation

Abstract

We present Spotlight, an automated user guidance technique for improving quality and efficiency of interactive segmentation tasks. Spotlight augments interactive segmentation algorithms by automatically highlighting areas in need of attention to the user during the interaction phase. We employ a 3D Livewire algorithm as our base segmentation method where the user quickly provides a minimal initial contour seeding. The quality of the initial segmentation is then evaluated based on three different metrics that probe the contour edge strength, contour stability and object connectivity. The result of this evaluation is fed into a novel algorithm that autonomously suggests regions that require user intervention. Essentially, Spotlight flags potentially problematic image regions in a prioritized fashion based on an optimization process for improving the final 3D segmentation. We present a variety of qualitative and quantitative examples demonstrating Spotlight's intuitive use and proven utility in reducing user input by increasing automation. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.