Segmentation of brain MR image using fuzzy local Gaussian mixture model

Abstract

Accurate brain tissue segmentation from magnetic resonance (MR) images is an essential step in quantitative brain image analysis. However, due to the existence of noise and intensity inhomogeneity in brain MR images, many segmentation algorithms suffer from limited accuracy. In this paper, it is assumed that the local image data within each voxel's neighborhood satisfy the Gaussian mixture model (GMM), and thus propose the fuzzy local GMM (FLGMM) algorithm for automated brain MR image segmentation. In this paper results obtained from the proposed algorithm is compared with those obtained by using Level set function in both synthetic and clinical data is analyzed. Thus concluding that the proposed algorithm can largely overcome the difficulties raised by noise, low contrast, and bias field, and improves the accuracy of brain MR image segmentation.