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Digital and Image Geometry pp 412–429Cite as

Distance Transformation and Skeletonization of 3D Pictures and Their Applications to Medical Images

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 2243))

Abstract

In this article, we present the Euclidean distance transformation (EDT) of three-dimensional (3D) binary pictures and applications, with stress on Dr. Toyofumi Saito’s work in collaboration with one of the authors. First, EDT, skeletons, and reverse EDT are defined, and then the algorithms to perform them are presented. Next, a sequential-type 3D thinning algorithm that preserves the topology of an input object is introduced. This algorithm is derived by combining an ordinary twodimensional thinning algorithm with EDT. Finally, applications to medical image processing are presented such as automated path finding in virtual endoscopy, as well as analysis of 3D pathological sample images. Dr. Toyofumi Saito, an associate professor who was one of the most active researchers in the field of image processing in Japan and a young leader of the author’s laboratory, and who was initially scheduled to be the first author of this paper, passed away on 26 October 2000. We have lost a most reliable and most promising colleague, an experienced supervisor, and a very sincere friend. He is deeply missed by all in his family, his friends, and his colleagues. On behalf of the laboratory the authors wish to dedicate this short note in memory of Dr. Toyofumi Saito and to express our sincere condolences to his loved ones.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, 464-8603, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan

    Jun-ichiro Toriwaki & Kensaku Mori

Authors
  1. Jun-ichiro Toriwaki
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  2. Kensaku Mori
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Groupe ESIEE, Cité Descartes, 2, Bld. Blaise-Pascal, 93162, Noisy-le-Grand, France

    Gilles Bertrand

  2. Media Technology Division, Chiba University, Inst. of Media and Information Technology, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, 263-8522, Chiba, Japan

    Atsushi Imiya

  3. The University of Auckland, CITR Tamaki, Tamaki Campus, Morrin Road, Glen Innes, 1005, Auckland, New Zealand

    Reinhard Klette

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Toriwaki, Ji., Mori, K. (2001). Distance Transformation and Skeletonization of 3D Pictures and Their Applications to Medical Images. In: Bertrand, G., Imiya, A., Klette, R. (eds) Digital and Image Geometry. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 2243. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45576-0_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45576-0_25

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-43079-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-45576-9

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