Markov random field modeling in posteroanterior chest radiograph segmentation

Previously, the authors presented an algorithm that identifies lung regions in a digitized posteroanterior chest radiograph (DCR) by labeling each pixel as either lung or nonlung. In this manuscript, the inherent flexibility of this algorithm is demonstrated as the algorithm is generalized to identify multiple anatomical regions in a DCR. Specifically, each pixel is classified as belonging to one of six anatomical region types: lung, subdiaphragm, heart, mediastinum, body, or background. The algorithm determines the optimal set of pixel classifications, xOPT, for a given set of DCR pixel gray level values y via a probabilistic approach that defines xOPT as the particular segmentation that maximizes the conditional distribution P(x/y). A spatially varying Markov random field (MRF) model is used that incorporates spatial and textural information of each possible region type. MRF modeling provides the form of P(x/y), and Iterated Conditional Modes is used to converge to the distribution maximum of P(x/y) thus obtaining the optimal segmentation for a given DCR. Results show the algorithm being able to correctly classify 90.0% +/- 3.4% of the pixels in a DCR.