Distance regularized two level sets for segmentation of left and right ventricles from cine-MRI

This paper presents a new level set method for segmentation of cardiac left and right ventricles. We extend the edge based distance regularized level set evolution (DRLSE) model in Li et al. (2010) to a two-level-set formulation, with the 0-level set and k-level set representing the endocardium and epicardium, respectively. The extraction of endocardium and epicardium is obtained as a result of the interactive curve evolution of the 0 and k level sets derived from the proposed variational level set formulation. The initialization of the level set function in the proposed two-level-set DRLSE model is generated from roughly located endocardium, which can be performed by applying the original DRLSE model. Experimental results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed two-level-set DRLSE model.