Selected Readings in Vision and Graphics
edited by Luc Van Gool, Gábor Székely, Markus Gross, Bernt Schiele

Volume 42

Adrian Stefan Andronache

Multi-Modal Non-Rigid Registration
of Volumetric Medical Images.

First edition 2006, XII, 138 pages, € 64,00. ISBN 3-86628-112-9

Due to recent advances in image guided surgery, the availability of efficient algorithms for the fusion of pre- and intra-operative image data is of increasing importance. Based on a hierarchical image subdivision strategy, we developed a new algorithm for automatic non-rigid registration of multi-modal images. While Mutual Information was proven to be a very robust and reliable similarity measure, numerous problems have to be faced if it is applied to small-sized images, compromising its usefulness for such subdivision schemes.

Within this dissertation, we examine and explain the rather unexpected behavior of Mutual Information when applied to structureless image regions or regions covering only a limited number of image pixels. In order to overcome these limitations, a new method inspired from point pattern analysis is introduced to identify the problematic image regions and to eliminate them from the registration chain. Additionally, a new intensity mapping technique is developed to replace the Mutual Information with the more robust Cross-Correlation by transforming the initial multi-modal images into a common pseudo-modality.

Adrian Stefan Andronache studied electrical engineering at the Politehnica University of Bucharest, Romania, from which he graduated with a M.Sc. degree in 2001. Next year, he joined the Computer Vision Lab of the ETH Zurich, where he worked as a PhD student and research assistant. In 2006 he finished his doctoral thesis on non-rigid registration of medical images, and was awarded the PhD degree from the ETH Zurich.

Keywords: non-rigid registration, multi-modal image registration, medical imaging, Mutual Information, hierarchical registration, intensity mapping, Cross-correlation, quantification of the image structural content, spatial auto-correlation, Moran's coefficient, adaptive image subdivision

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