KEYWORDS: Bone, Image registration, Magnetic resonance imaging, Image resolution, 3D image processing, Image analysis, Image segmentation, Medical imaging, Image processing, In vivo imaging
This study investigated the feasibility of automatic image registration of MR high-spatial resolution proximal femur
trabecular bone images as well as the effects of gray-level interpolation and volume of interest (VOI) misalignment on
MR-derived trabecular bone structure parameters. For six subjects, a baseline scan and a follow-up scan of the proximal
femur were acquired on the same day. An automatic image registration technique, based on mutual information, utilized
a baseline and a follow-up scan to compute transform parameters that aligned the two images. These parameters were
subsequently used to transform the follow-up image with three different gray-level interpolators. Nearest neighbor
interpolation and b-spline approximation did not significantly alter bone parameters, while linear interpolation
significantly modified bone parameters (p<0.01). Improvement in image alignment due to the automatic registration was
determined by visually inspecting difference images and 3D renderings. This work demonstrates the first application of
automatic registration, without prior segmentation, of high-spatial resolution trabecular bone MR images of the proximal
femur. Additionally, effects due to imprecise analysis volume alignment are investigated. Inherent heterogeneity in
trabecular bone structure and imprecise positioning of the VOI along the slice (A/P) direction resulted in significant
changes in bone parameters (p<0.01). Results suggest that automatic mutual information registration using nearest-neighbor
gray-level interpolation to transform the final image ensures VOI alignment between baseline and follow-up
images and does not compromise the integrity of MR-derived trabecular bone parameters.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.