Segmentation using the edge strength function as a shape prior within a local deformation model

This paper presents a new image segmentation framework which employs a shape prior in the form of an edge strength function to introduce a higher-level influence on the segmentation process. We formulate segmentation as the minimization of three coupled functionals, respectively, defining three processes: prior-guided segmentation, shape feature extraction and local deformation estimation. Particularly, the shape feature extraction process is in charge of estimating an edge strength function from the evolving object region. The local deformation estimation process uses this function to determine a meaningful correspondence between a given prior and the evolving object region, and the deformation map estimated in return supervises the segmentation by enforcing the evolving object boundary towards the prior shape.