FRACTAL DIMENSION FEATURES FOR MRI BREAST MASS ANALYSIS

我们建议开发一种稳健的算法来评估分形图 乳腺磁共振图像的边界尺寸(FD) 包含少量像素的质量。FD算法将是 在即将到来的MR乳房临床试验中进行评估，并将推向 开发用于磁共振乳房成像的计算机辅助诊断系统。 增强磁共振是一种很有前途的检测和诊断工具 乳房密集、不透射线且有疤痕的肿块。自边界 粗糙度与乳腺癌有关，FD是一种测量 粗糙度，提出的算法将生成一个客观的指标 充满了恶意性。使用BOX的当前估计FD的算法 计数布朗运动或分数布朗运动在应用于 像素数据有限的图像。所提出的算法生成一个 一族分形插值函数模型，并推导出稳健的FD 从她对模特的统计数据中估计出来的。提出的算法 计算以下特征：(A)质量的fd的估计 边界，(B)估计的可靠性的量度，(C)量度 边界的自我亲和力的程度，以及(D)衡量 估计值在一定阈值范围内的稳定性。 建议的商业应用： 一种能可靠识别良性病变的计算机辅助诊断系统 从恶性肿块中脱颖而出将对MR先生具有重大的市场价值！ 有兴趣开发和推广的中心和开发商 先生!作为乳腺癌筛查的一种辅助方法。因为我们的 产品提升了这样一个系统的性能，有很大的 商业潜力和易于识别的潜在客户群 战略合作伙伴。

We propose developing a robust algorithm to evaluate the fractal dimension (fd) of borders of Magnetic Resonance (MR) images of breast masses which contain a small number of pixels. The fd algorithm will be evaluated in upcoming MR breast clinical trials and will be marketed to developers of computer-aided diagnosis systems for MR breast imaging. Contrast-enhanced MR is a promising tool for detecting and diagnosing masses in dense, radio-opaque and scarred breasts. Since border roughness is correlated to breast cancer and fd is a measure of roughness, the proposed algorithm will generate an objective indicator of malignancy. Current algorithms for estimating fd which use box counting or fractional Brownian motion are non-robust when applied to images with limited pixel data. The proposed algorithm generates a family of fractal interpolation function models and derives robust fd estimates from she statistics of the models. The proposed algorithm computes the following features: (a) an estimate of fd of the mass border, (b) a measure of the reliability of the estimate, (c) a measure of the extent of self-affinity of the border, and (d) a measure of the stability of the estimate over a range of threshold levels. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: A computer-aided diagnosis system which reliably discriminates benign from malignant masses will have a significant market value to MR! centers and developers who have an interest in developing and promoting MR! as an adjunctive method of screening for breast cancer. Since our product enhances the performance of such a system, there is a large commercial potential and a readily identified pool of prospective strategic partners.