Method of extracting contours using a combined active contour and starter/guide approach

摘要

A semi-automatic method of extracting a contour in a digital image using a combined active contour and starter/guide approach is based on an iterative process of deforming an active contour to obtain a current trace and extending the current trace by a straight line segment. An initial contour is entered into the image to seed the iterative process. Local analysis of the digital image at a point of the initial contour determines a first reference datum. At each iteration this analysis is carried out locally at a plurality of points around the end point of the current trace to determine, by correlation with the first datum, the orientation of the straight line segment extending the current trace.