A fast level set method for segmentation of low contrast noisy biomedical images

This paper presents a new fast front propagation algorithm for image segmentation. To approximate the partial differential equation (PDE) in level set algorithm, instead of moving the front in a small constant time step, the point with a minimum arrival time will be touched in one iteration. Only in a neighbourhood of this point, should the level set function be updated. Like the previously proposed level set methods. it is a robust method for image segmentation with capabilities to handle topological changes, significant protrusions and narrow regions. It is faster than the narrow band algorithm and more robust than the monotonically advancing scheme in image segmentation. The effectiveness and the capabilities of the algorithm were verified by simulated and real experiments. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.