Contouring Left Ventricle From Echocardiographic Image Sequence In Long-Axis View

In this paper we suggest an approach to a completely automatic contouring the left ventricle (LV). We use the method of signatures to describe the shape of the contour. Analysis of contours performed manually enables us to conclude that the signature of any contour of any patient has the shape of the inverted letter "M". This allows reducing the contouring problem to the problem of signature reconstruction. So, the task is transferred from a twodimensional space in a one-dimensional. Algorithm of semiautomatic contouring based on the known first frame contours is described. So, it is obvious that the problem of completely automatic contouring demands to select the contour on the first frame automatically. Solution of this problem is to restore the signature with the correct shape in the form of the inverted letter "M" and we offer a way to do it.