Markov random field method for dynamic PET: Image segmentation

In this paper, the Markov random field (MRF) clustering method for highly noisy medical image segmentation is presented. In MRF method, the image to be segmented is analyzed in a probabilistic way that establishes image model by a posteriori probability density function with Bayes' theorem, with relation between pixel positions as well as gray-levels involved. The adaptive threshold parameter is determined in the iterative clustering process to achieve global optimal segmentation. The presented method and other segmentation methods in use are tested on simulation images of different noise levels, and the numerical comparison result is presented. It also is applied on the highly noisy positron emission tomography images, in that the diagnostic hypoxia fraction is automatically calculated. The experimental results are acceptable, and show that the presented method is suitable and robust for noisy image segmentation.