Estimating Sparse Deformation Fields Using Multiscale Bayesian Priors and 3-D Ultrasound

Abstract

This paper presents an extension to the standard Bayesian image analysis paradigm to explicitly incorporate a multiscale approach. This new technique is demonstrated by applying it to the problem of compensating for soft tissue deformation of pre-segmented surfaces for image-guided surgery using 3-D ultrasound. The solution is regularised using knowledge of the mean and Gaussian curvatures of the surface estimate. Results are presented from testing the method on ultrasound data acquired from a volunteer’s liver. Two structures were segmented from an MR scan of the volunteer: the liver surface and the portal vein. Accurate estimates of the deformed surfaces were successfully computed using the algorithm, based on prior probabilities defined using a minimal amount of human intervention. With a more accurate prior model, this technique has the possibility to completely automate the process of compensating for intraoperative deformation in image-guided surgery.

Acknowledgements

We thank the U.K. EPSRC for funding this project. We are also grateful to the radiology and radiography staff at Guy’s Hospital for their assistance.