Evaluation of an algorithm for semiautomated segmentation of thin tissue layers in high-frequency ultrasound images

An algorithm consisting of speckle reduction by median filtering, contrast enhancement using top- and bottom-hat morphological filters, and segmentation with a discrete dynamic contour (DDC) model was implemented for nondestructive measurements of soft tissue layer thickness. The simulations demonstrated necessity of the median and morphological filtering steps and enabled testing of user-specified parameters of the morphological filters and DDC model.