Watershed segmentation of high resolution magnetic resonance images of articular cartilage of the knee

High-resolution in-vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can be used effectively to determine variation in cartilage morphometry - a crucial parameter for assessment of osteoarthritis. Segmentation of cartilage from surrounding tissues is a necessary preliminary step to the quantitation process. In this in-vivo study we implement the immersion based watershed algorithm to develop a novel and reliable cartilage segmentation technique. The protocol has been successfully applied to determine morphometric differences among normal, mild and severe osteoarthritic patient populations.