Individual 3D region-of-interest atlas of the human brain: neural-network-based tissue classification with automatic training point extraction

摘要

Abstract: The purpose of individual 3D region-of-interest atlas extraction is to automatically define anatomically meaningful regions in 3D MRI images for quantification of functional parameters (PET, SPECT: rMRGlu, rCBF). The first step of atlas extraction is to automatically classify brain tissue types into gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), scalp/bone (SB) and background (BG). A feed-forward neural network with back-propagation training algorithm is used and compared to other numerical classifiers. It can be trained by a sample from the individual patient data set in question. Classification is done by a 'winner takes all' decision. Automatic extraction of a user-specified number of training points is done in a cross-sectional slice. Background separation is done by simple region growing. The most homogeneous voxels define the region for WM training point extraction (TPE). Non-white-matter and nonbackground regions are analyzed for GM and CSF training points. For SB TPE, the distance from the BG region is one feature. For each class, spatially uniformly distributed training points are extracted by a random generator from these regions. Simulated and real 3D MRI images are analyzed and error rates for TPE and classification calculated. The resulting class images can be analyzed for extraction of anatomical ROIs. !11