Multilabel random walker image segmentation using prior models

The recently introduced random walker segmentation algorithm by Grady and Funka-Lea (2004) has been shown to have desirable theoretical properties and to perform well on a wide variety of images in practice. However, this algorithm requires user-specified labels and produces a segmentation where each segment is connected to a labeled pixel. We show that incorporation of a nonparametric probability density model allows for an extended random walkers algorithm that can locate disconnected objects and does not require user-specified labels. Finally, we show that this formulation leads to a deep connection with the popular graph cuts method by Boykov et al. (2001) and Wu and Leahy (1993).