Shape-based tracking of naturally occurring annuli in image sequences

The problem of tracking and quantifying the nonrigid nonuniform motion of naturally occurring annuli from image sequences is addressed. Motion computation is performed in two different manners, i.e., shape adherence with second order difference smoothing, and shape adherence with smoothing based on strain energy minimization. Results are shown for two typical applications, i.e., motion of the left ventricular wall of the heart over an entire cardiac cycle as derived from magnetic resonance images, and extension of neuronal growth cone membranes (lamel-lipodia) from light microscopy images