Watershed transform for automatic image segmentation of the human pelvic area

We propose a new system for automatic image segmentation of organs of the human pelvic area. The algorithm is based on multi-region growing followed by a watershed transform. The main contributions are the method of selecting seed pixels and predicating the multiregion growing algorithm, and the segmentation results achieved. The system was tested in 400 images and its efficiency was measured by two different statistical methods - correlation and the t-test. The clinical application of the proposed technique is radiotherapy treatment, which depends on the delineation of the treated area. The organs of interest are the rectum, bladder and seminal vesicles.