New Deformable Registration Technique Using Scale Space and Curve Evolution Theory and A Finite Element Based Validation Framework

In this paper, we present a novel and accurate approach for nonrigid registration. New feature descriptors are built as voxel signatures using scale space theory. These descriptors are used to capture the global motion of the imaged object. Local deformations are modelled through an evolution process of equi-spaced closed curves/surfaces (iso-contours/surfaces) which are generated using fast marching level sets and are matched using the built feature descriptors. The performance of the proposed approach is validated using the finite element method. Both 2D and 3D tissue deformations cases are simulated, and the registration accuracy is quantified by co-registering the deformed images with the original ones and comparing the recovered mesh point displacements with the simulated ones. The evaluation results show the potential of the proposed approach in handling local deformation better than some conventional approaches