Neurite Tracing in Fluorescence Microscopy Images Using Ridge Filtering and Graph Searching: Principles and Validation
E. Meijering, M. Jacob, J.-C.F. Sarria, P. Steiner, H. Hirling, M. Unser
Proceedings of the Second IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: From Nano to Macro (ISBI'04), Arlington VA, USA, April 15-18, 2004, pp. 1219–1222.
To assist neurobiologists investigating the molecular mechanisms involved in neurite formation and differentiation, we have developed an interactive technique for the tracing and quantification of elongated image structures. The technique is based on an improved steerable filter for computing local ridge strength and orientation. It also uses a graph-searching algorithm with a novel cost function exploiting these image features to obtain globally optimal tracings between user-defined control points. To compare the performance of the technique to that of the currently used approach of fully manual delineation, four observers traced selected neurites in fluorescence microscopy images of cells in culture, using both methods. The results indicated that the proposed technique yields comparable accuracy in measuring neurite length, significantly improved accuracy in neurite centerline extraction, significantly improved reproducibility and reduced user interaction.
@INPROCEEDINGS(http://bigwww.epfl.ch/publications/meijering0402.html,
AUTHOR="Meijering, E. and Jacob, M. and Sarria, J.-C.F. and Steiner, P.
and Hirling, H. and Unser, M.",
TITLE="Neurite Tracing in Fluorescence Microscopy Images Using Ridge
Filtering and Graph Searching: {P}rinciples and Validation",
BOOKTITLE="Proceedings of the Second {IEEE} International Symposium on
Biomedical Imaging: {F}rom Nano to Macro ({ISBI'04})",
YEAR="2004",
editor="",
volume="",
series="",
pages="1219--1222",
address="Arlington VA, USA",
month="April 15-18,",
organization="",
publisher="",
note="")