An alternating-constraints optimization method for volume-preserving non-rigid registration of MR breast images

Abstract

We propose in this work a novel optimization strategy for intensity-based non-rigid image registration of contrast-enhanced images with a volume-preservation constraint. The optimization method alternates between under-constrained registration (allowing the elimination of motion artifacts in the subtraction images) and over-constrained registration (enforcing volume preservation of contrast-enhanced structures). We apply our method to pre- and post-contrast MR breast images from 17 patients and demonstrate its capability to simultaneously achieve volume preservation and artifact reduction.