watershedImageFilter parameters for 3D CT images

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watershedImageFilter parameters for 3D CT images

by Gator Philly :: Rate this Message:

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Hello itk gurus,

In order to effectively use watershedImageFilter, how to optimize those two parameters: Level and Threshold?
If I have a multiple set of 3D CT images, each set of 3D CT images might have different voxel intensity characteristics,
it seems from my experiments that one set of parameters for all sets might not the optimal solution. How can I
choose the parameters based on the characteristics of given set?

The other question I have is should I do some denoising pre-processing such as median filter before I do watershed?

Thanks a lot for any suggestions and comments.
Best,
Gator

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Re: watershedImageFilter parameters for 3D CT images

by Luis Ibanez :: Rate this Message:

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Hi Gator,

1) Yes, if you are working on a  CT Image, it tends to be useful
     to do some denoising before running a Watershed filter.


2) A rule of thumb is to set the Threshold to be about 1 / 100
     of the Level.


3) Typical values of level are 0.2 ~ 0.3.

     But of course, they vary with the structure that you want to
     extract, and the image that you are providing as input


4)  Please not that usually you want to run the watershed filter
      not in the image directly but in its GradientMagnitude image,
      ... unless... you are lucky enough to be searching for an
     anatomical structure that is dark and it is fully surrounded by
     brighter objects.


5) Finding a set of parameters that will work for a full set of
     images is a challenging problem, and it doesn't have a
     trivial answer.

      What we can suggest you are tools for making this easier:

       We have found effective to use

                a) CMake Macros to define tests for each one
                     of the images in the set, and then run all the
                     tests by using ctest.

                 b) Batchmake (www.batchmake.org).


6)  Note also, that the watershed filter will rarely provide a
      segmentation solution by looking at a  single level.
      It is common to have to construct your segmentation
      by combining fragments that are extracted at different
       water levels.



     Regards,


             Luis


--------------------------------------------------
On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 12:38 PM, Gator Philly <gatoratphilly@...> wrote:

> Hello itk gurus,
>
> In order to effectively use watershedImageFilter, how to optimize those two
> parameters: Level and Threshold?
> If I have a multiple set of 3D CT images, each set of 3D CT images might
> have different voxel intensity characteristics,
> it seems from my experiments that one set of parameters for all sets might
> not the optimal solution. How can I
> choose the parameters based on the characteristics of given set?
>
> The other question I have is should I do some denoising pre-processing such
> as median filter before I do watershed?
>
> Thanks a lot for any suggestions and comments.
> Best,
> Gator
>
> _____________________________________
> Powered by www.kitware.com
>
> Visit other Kitware open-source projects at
> http://www.kitware.com/opensource/opensource.html
>
> Kitware offers ITK Training Courses, for more information visit:
> http://www.kitware.com/products/protraining.html
>
> Please keep messages on-topic and check the ITK FAQ at:
> http://www.itk.org/Wiki/ITK_FAQ
>
> Follow this link to subscribe/unsubscribe:
> http://www.itk.org/mailman/listinfo/insight-users
>
>
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Re: watershedImageFilter parameters for 3D CT images

by Gator Philly :: Rate this Message:

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Hi Luis,

Thanks a lot for your helpful suggestions. For the point (6), what do you mean by saying "t is common to have to construct your segmentation   by combining fragments that are extracted at different     water levels" ? Do you mean I need some
connectedcomponentImageFilter after watershedImageFilter to combine fragments?

Thanks again!
gator

On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 4:53 PM, Luis Ibanez <luis.ibanez@...> wrote:
Hi Gator,

1) Yes, if you are working on a  CT Image, it tends to be useful
    to do some denoising before running a Watershed filter.


2) A rule of thumb is to set the Threshold to be about 1 / 100
    of the Level.


3) Typical values of level are 0.2 ~ 0.3.

    But of course, they vary with the structure that you want to
    extract, and the image that you are providing as input


4)  Please not that usually you want to run the watershed filter
     not in the image directly but in its GradientMagnitude image,
     ... unless... you are lucky enough to be searching for an
    anatomical structure that is dark and it is fully surrounded by
    brighter objects.


5) Finding a set of parameters that will work for a full set of
    images is a challenging problem, and it doesn't have a
    trivial answer.

     What we can suggest you are tools for making this easier:

      We have found effective to use

               a) CMake Macros to define tests for each one
                    of the images in the set, and then run all the
                    tests by using ctest.

                b) Batchmake (www.batchmake.org).


6)  Note also, that the watershed filter will rarely provide a
     segmentation solution by looking at a  single level.
     It is common to have to construct your segmentation
     by combining fragments that are extracted at different
      water levels.



    Regards,


            Luis


--------------------------------------------------
On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 12:38 PM, Gator Philly <gatoratphilly@...> wrote:
> Hello itk gurus,
>
> In order to effectively use watershedImageFilter, how to optimize those two
> parameters: Level and Threshold?
> If I have a multiple set of 3D CT images, each set of 3D CT images might
> have different voxel intensity characteristics,
> it seems from my experiments that one set of parameters for all sets might
> not the optimal solution. How can I
> choose the parameters based on the characteristics of given set?
>
> The other question I have is should I do some denoising pre-processing such
> as median filter before I do watershed?
>
> Thanks a lot for any suggestions and comments.
> Best,
> Gator
>
> _____________________________________
> Powered by www.kitware.com
>
> Visit other Kitware open-source projects at
> http://www.kitware.com/opensource/opensource.html
>
> Kitware offers ITK Training Courses, for more information visit:
> http://www.kitware.com/products/protraining.html
>
> Please keep messages on-topic and check the ITK FAQ at:
> http://www.itk.org/Wiki/ITK_FAQ
>
> Follow this link to subscribe/unsubscribe:
> http://www.itk.org/mailman/listinfo/insight-users
>
>


_____________________________________
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Kitware offers ITK Training Courses, for more information visit:
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Please keep messages on-topic and check the ITK FAQ at:
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Re: watershedImageFilter parameters for 3D CT images

by Luis Ibanez :: Rate this Message:

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Hi Gator,

What I meant is that, usually the watershed segmentations produced by
a single water level are not perfect. At low water levels you usually get
big chunks of the structures that you want to segment, but they are missing
detailed pieces.  If you raise the water level, then you get a lot more small
pieces.

Therefore, it is common to have to take, some of the big chunks produced
at low water levels and OR them (logical or) with the some selected smaller
pieces that are produced at higher water levels.

You may find useful to play with the application:

    InsightApplications/StreamedWatershedSegmentation


   Regards,


            Luis


--------------------------------------------------
On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM, Gator Philly <gatoratphilly@...> wrote:

> Hi Luis,
>
> Thanks a lot for your helpful suggestions. For the point (6), what do you
> mean by saying "t is common to have to construct your segmentation   by
> combining fragments that are extracted at different     water levels" ? Do
> you mean I need some
> connectedcomponentImageFilter after watershedImageFilter to combine
> fragments?
>
> Thanks again!
> gator
>
> On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 4:53 PM, Luis Ibanez <luis.ibanez@...> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Gator,
>>
>> 1) Yes, if you are working on a  CT Image, it tends to be useful
>>     to do some denoising before running a Watershed filter.
>>
>>
>> 2) A rule of thumb is to set the Threshold to be about 1 / 100
>>     of the Level.
>>
>>
>> 3) Typical values of level are 0.2 ~ 0.3.
>>
>>     But of course, they vary with the structure that you want to
>>     extract, and the image that you are providing as input
>>
>>
>> 4)  Please not that usually you want to run the watershed filter
>>      not in the image directly but in its GradientMagnitude image,
>>      ... unless... you are lucky enough to be searching for an
>>     anatomical structure that is dark and it is fully surrounded by
>>     brighter objects.
>>
>>
>> 5) Finding a set of parameters that will work for a full set of
>>     images is a challenging problem, and it doesn't have a
>>     trivial answer.
>>
>>      What we can suggest you are tools for making this easier:
>>
>>       We have found effective to use
>>
>>                a) CMake Macros to define tests for each one
>>                     of the images in the set, and then run all the
>>                     tests by using ctest.
>>
>>                 b) Batchmake (www.batchmake.org).
>>
>>
>> 6)  Note also, that the watershed filter will rarely provide a
>>      segmentation solution by looking at a  single level.
>>      It is common to have to construct your segmentation
>>      by combining fragments that are extracted at different
>>       water levels.
>>
>>
>>
>>     Regards,
>>
>>
>>             Luis
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 12:38 PM, Gator Philly <gatoratphilly@...>
>> wrote:
>> > Hello itk gurus,
>> >
>> > In order to effectively use watershedImageFilter, how to optimize those
>> > two
>> > parameters: Level and Threshold?
>> > If I have a multiple set of 3D CT images, each set of 3D CT images might
>> > have different voxel intensity characteristics,
>> > it seems from my experiments that one set of parameters for all sets
>> > might
>> > not the optimal solution. How can I
>> > choose the parameters based on the characteristics of given set?
>> >
>> > The other question I have is should I do some denoising pre-processing
>> > such
>> > as median filter before I do watershed?
>> >
>> > Thanks a lot for any suggestions and comments.
>> > Best,
>> > Gator
>> >
>> > _____________________________________
>> > Powered by www.kitware.com
>> >
>> > Visit other Kitware open-source projects at
>> > http://www.kitware.com/opensource/opensource.html
>> >
>> > Kitware offers ITK Training Courses, for more information visit:
>> > http://www.kitware.com/products/protraining.html
>> >
>> > Please keep messages on-topic and check the ITK FAQ at:
>> > http://www.itk.org/Wiki/ITK_FAQ
>> >
>> > Follow this link to subscribe/unsubscribe:
>> > http://www.itk.org/mailman/listinfo/insight-users
>> >
>> >
>
>
_____________________________________
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http://www.kitware.com/opensource/opensource.html

Kitware offers ITK Training Courses, for more information visit:
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Please keep messages on-topic and check the ITK FAQ at:
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Follow this link to subscribe/unsubscribe:
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