Back to results

Rowan University

Spatially varying threshold models for the automated segmentation of radiodense tissue in digitized mammograms

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>The percentage of radiodense (bright) tissue in a mammogram has been correlated to an increased risk of breast cancer. This thesis presents an automated method to quantify the amount of radiodense tissue found in a digitized mammogram. The algorithm employs a radial basis function neural network in order to segment the breast tissue region from the remainder of the X-ray. A spatially varying Neyman-Pearson threshold is used to calculate the percentage of radiodense tissue and compensate for the effects of tissue compression that occurs during a mammography procedure. Results demonstrating the efficacy of the technique are demonstrated by exercising the algorithm on two separate sets of mammograms - one obtained from Brigham Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the other set obtained from Fox Chase Cancer Center and digitized at Rowan University. The results of the algorithm compare favorably with a previously established manual segmentation technique.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M.S. in Engineering
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Year dc:date.available
2003

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Eckert, Richard Edson, III
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Mandayam, Shreekanth

Subjects

dc:subject × 2

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1292
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-2292

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Rowan University
Base URL
rdw.rowan.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Eckert, Richard Edson, III. Spatially varying threshold models for the automated segmentation of radiodense tissue in digitized mammograms. Thesis thesis, 2003. https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1292