From global to local, a continuum of shape models with fractal priors

A new shape modeling scheme is introduced. It can transform smoothly from local (distributed parameter) to global (lumped parameter) models or vice-versa. The modeling scheme makes use of a hybrid primitive, called the deformable superquadric, constructed in an orthonormal wavelet basis. This multiresolution basis provides the power to continuously transform from local to global shape deformations, and thereby allow for a continuum of shape models-from those with local to those with global shape descriptive power-to be created. The characteristic of continuously transforming from local to global shape deformations allows the generation of fractal surfaces of arbitrary degree that can be useful in describing natural detail. These multiresolution shape models reembedded in a probabilistic framework and used for segmenting anatomical structures in the human brain from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data