Spine X-ray image retrieval using partial vertebral boundaries

The anterior osteophyte (AO) is a bony spur on the vertebra and is symptomatic of osteo-arthritis of the spine. We present advances in our research into matching vertebral boundaries based on pathological (severity) and visual similarity. Proposed image retrieval methods are based on partial shape matching (PSM) that use landmarks along sagittal vertebral outlines that are consistent with those used by medical experts. Besides the two PSM methods that are improved algorithms of our previously developed methods, a new PSM method that is based on a simple but effective localized shape feature is proposed. The methods are evaluated and tested on a dataset of 856 segmented vertebrae and their performance is compared using precision-recall and average precision graphs. The best approaches are combined and integrated into our Web-based Spine Pathology & Image Retrieval System (SPIRS).