Segmentation of Neck Lymph Nodes in CT Datasets with Stable 3D Mass-Spring Models

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES The quantitative assessment of neck lymph nodes in the context of malignant tumors requires an efficient segmentation technique for lymph nodes in tomographic three-dimensional (3D) datasets. We present a stable 3D mass-spring model for lymph node segmentation in computed tomography (CT) datasets. MATERIALS AND METHODS For the first time our model concurrently represents the characteristic gray value range, directed contour information, and shape knowledge, which leads to a robust and efficient segmentation process. RESULTS Our model design and the segmentation accuracy were both evaluated with 40 lymph nodes from five clinical CT datasets containing malignant tumors of the neck. CONCLUSION The segmentation accuracy proved to be comparable to that of manual segmentations by experienced users and significantly reduced the time and interaction needed for the lymph node segmentation.