Automatic breast region extraction from digital mammograms for PACS and telemammography applications

• Published in: Computerized medical imaging and graphics Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 205 - 220
• Main Authors: Lou, S.L., Lin, H.D., Lin, K.P., Hoogstrate, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Ltd 2000; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Algorithms; Biological and medical sciences; Breast-region extraction; Digital image storage; Digital mammography; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Feature extraction; Female; Genital system. Mammary gland; Humans; Image communication systems; Image compression; Image segmentation; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Mammogram segmentation; Mammography - methods; Medical imaging; Medical sciences; Picture archiving and communication system; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Radiographic Image Enhancement - methods; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Radiology Information Systems - organization & administration; Telemammography; Teleradiology; Digital mammography; Telemammography; Breast-region extraction; Image compression; Picture archiving and communication system; Mammogram segmentation; Human; High resolution; Radiodiagnosis; Data compression; Mammography; Biomedical data processing; Telemedicine; Automatic system; Medical imagery; Female; Performance; Digital radiography; Pattern extraction
• ISSN: 0895-6111; 1879-0771
• DOI: 10.1016/S0895-6111(00)00009-4

High spatial resolution results in very large digital mammogram file sizes. For telemammography, and picture archiving and communication systems, the large file issue introduces technical difficulties in image transmission, storage, and display. We propose extracting the breast region from the mammogram to reduce the image file size. The challenge is on how to faithfully extract breast regions from digital mammograms generated from different types of acquisition systems that contain various imaged compositions. We report an algorithm to automatically identify the orientation of breast region and extract the breast region from mammograms. Breast regions extracted from full-field digital mammograms reduce file sizes by three to five folds.