Anisotropic diffusion filter based edge enhancement for the segmentation of carotid intima-media layer in ultrasound images using variational level set method without re-initialisation

In this work an attempt has been made to enhance the edges and segment the boundary of intima-media layer of Common Carotid Artery (CCA) using anisotropic diffusion filter and level set method. Ultrasound B mode longitudinal images of normal and abnormal images of common carotid arteries are used in this study. The images are subjected to anisotropic diffusion filter to generate edge map. This edge map is used as a stopping boundary in variational level set method without re-initialisation to segment the intima-media layer. Geometric features are extracted from this layer and analyzed statistically. Results show that anisotropic diffusion filtering is able to extract the edges in both normal and abnormal images. The obtained edge maps are found to have high contrast and sharp edges. The edge based variational level set method is able to segment the intima-media layer precisely from common carotid artery. The extracted geometrical features such as major axis and extent are found to be statistically significant in differentiating normal and abnormal images. Thus this study seems to be clinically useful in diagnosis of cardiovascular disease.