IJIRST International Journal for Innovative Research in Science & Technology| Volume 2 | Issue 03 | August 2015

ISSN (online): 2349-6010

Brain Tumor Detection using Modified Fuzzy

Segmentation
Swati Deendyal
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
University Institute of Engineering and Technology
Kurukshetra University , Kurukshetra (India)

Sona Malhotra
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
University Institute of Engineering and Technology
Kurukshetra University , Kurukshetra (India)

Abstract
Designing a good measure for Medical segmentation is a known hard problem while the criteria of a good segmentation are often
application-dependent and hard to explicitly define, for many applications the difference between a favorable segmentation and
an inferior one is noticeable. Segmentation of medical images involves various image related problems. Medical Images contain
noise that can alter the intensity of a pixel such that its classification becomes uncertain However It is possible and necessary to
design efficient algorithms to find tumorous regions with segmentation algorithm this work is an effort in same direction
utilizing Fuzzy Segmentation Algorithm.
Keywords: Image Segmentation, MRI Scans, Tumor Segmentation, Fuzzy Methods
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

I. INTRODUCTION
Image segmentation is an important processing step in many image, video and computer vision applications. Extensive research
has been done in creating many different approaches and algorithms for image segmentation, but it is still difficult to assess
whether one algorithm produces more accurate segmentations than another, whether it be for a particular image or set of images,
or more generally, for a whole class of images. To date, the most common method for evaluating the effectiveness of a
segmentation method is subjective evaluation, in which a human visually compares the image segmentation results for separate
segmentation algorithms, which is a tedious process and inherently limits the depth of evaluation to a relatively small number of
segmentation comparisons over a predetermined set of images. Another common evaluation alternative is supervised evaluation,
in which a segmented image is compared against a manually segmented or pre-processed reference image [1].
It is often used to partition an image into separate regions, which ideally correspond to different real-world objects. It is a
critical step towards content analysis and image understanding. Many segmentation methods have been developed, but there is
still no satisfactory performance measure, which makes it hard to compare different segmentation methods, or even different
parameterizations of a single method. However, the ability to compare two segmentations in an application-independent way is
important: to autonomously select among two possible segmentations within a segmentation algorithm or a broader application;
to place a new or existing segmentation algorithm on a solid experimental and scientific ground; and to monitor segmentation
results on the fly, so that segmentation performance can be guaranteed and consistency can be maintained. Detection of the
tumor is the main objective of the system. Detection plays a critical role in biomedical imaging.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is often used to monitor tumor response to treatment process. The
segmentation of the brain tumor from the magnetic resonance images is important in medical diagnosis because it provides
information associated to anatomical structures as well as potential abnormal tissues necessary to treatment planning and patient
follow-up. It can also be helpful for general modeling of pathological brains and the construction of pathological brain atlases.
Many techniques for finding MRI segmentation have been developed over the years based on several techniques. As designing a
good measure for segmentation quality is a known hard problem some researchers even feel it is impossible. Each person has
his/her distinct standard for a good segmentation and different applications may function better using different segmentations.
While the criteria of a good segmentation are often application-dependent and hard to explicitly define, for many applications the
difference between a favorable segmentation and an inferior one is noticeable.

II. IMAGE SEGMENTATION PROBLEM

To reduce human effort and achieve better results, it is worthwhile to know in advance which images are difficult to segment and
may require further user interaction or alternate processing. For this purpose, we introduce a new research problem: how to
estimate the image segmentation difficulty level without actually performing image segmentation [2].
An image is a collection of measurements in two-dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) space. In medical images,
these measurements or image intensities can be radiation absorption in X-ray imaging, acoustic pressure in ultrasound, or RF
signal amplitude in MRI. If a single measurement is made at each location in the image, then the image is called a scalar image.
If more than one measurement is made, the image is called a vector or multi-channel image. Images may be acquired in the

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Brain Tumor Detection using Modified Fuzzy Segmentation

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continuous domain such as on X-ray film, or in discrete space as in MRI. In 2-D discrete images, the location of each
measurement is called a pixel and in 3-D images, it is called a voxel. For simplicity, we will often use the term pixel to refer to
both the 2-D and 3-D cases [7].
Classically, image segmentation is defined as the partitioning of an image into non overlapping, constituent regions which are
homogeneous with respect to some characteristic such as intensity or texture. If the domain of the image is given by I, then the
segmentation problem is to determine the sets
Whose union is the entire image I. Thus, the sets that make up segmentation must satisfy

Where
is connected. Ideally, a segmentation method finds those sets that correspond to distinct anatomical structures or regions of
interest in the image.
When the constraint that regions be connected is removed, then determining the sets Sk is called pixel classification and the
sets themselves are called classes. Pixel classification rather than classical segmentation is often a desirable goal in medical
images, particularly when disconnected regions belonging to the same tissue class need to be identified. Determination of the
total number of classes K in pixel classification can be a difficult problem .Often, the value of K is assumed to be known based
on prior knowledge of the anatomy being considered [7].
Several common approaches that have appeared in the recent literature on medical image segmentation. We define each
method, provide an overview of how the method is implemented, and discuss its advantages and disadvantages. Although each
technique is described separately, multiple techniques are often used in conjunction with one another for solving different
segmentation problems [7].
We divide segmentation methods into eight categories:
thresholding approaches,
region growing approaches,
classifiers,
clustering approaches,
Markov random field models,
artificial neural networks,
deformable models, and
Atlas guided approaches.

III. PROPOSED FUZZY BASED ALGORITHM

The most important part of any segmentation method is extension of feature space. Extension of feature space is based on simple
idea, that neighboring pixels have approximately same values of lightness and Chroma. But in real images such as MRI Images,
noise is corrupting the image data or image usually consists of textured segments. The images produced by MRI scans are
usually gray images with intensity in the range gray scale. The MRI image of the brain consists of the cortex that lines the
external surface of the brain and the gray nuclei deep inside of the brain including the thalami and basal ganglia. As Cancer is the
leading cause of death for everyone as the cause of the disease remains unknown, early detection and diagnosis is the key to
cancer control, and it can increase the success of treatment, save lives and reduce costs. Medical imaging is one of the most
frequently used diagnostic tools to detect and classify defects.
Fuzzy Clustering involves the task of dividing data points into homogeneous classes or clusters so that items in the same class
are as similar as possible and items in different classes are as dissimilar as possible The algorithm start with data scanning , in
this items are identified and their domain is find out . for each domain similarity of each item is find out with another item, as
similarity is determined for each and every item in a domain. Similar items are then identified in a domain by applying similarity
algorithm. Candidates are generated after finding similar items in a domain. Exponential Weight of each candidate is calculated.
Evaluation of candidates are done on the basis of weight calculated, such that weight is more or less then the given weights.
After evaluation cluster center is identified and all the nearby points that having the distance similarity are grouped together and
clusters are formed .Then this clustered output is generated on the basis of similarity. Cluster output that is generated is based on
fuzzy similarity which make itemset in on cluster are more similar to one another and all candidates in one cluster are different
from the candidates present in another cluster.
Image is transformed into feature space, stop condition , fuzziness parameter m . Let X={ , , ... , } into a collection of c
fuzzy clusters with respect to some given criterion. Given a finite set of data, the algorithm returns a list of c cluster centers V,
such that
V=
and a partition matrix U such that

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Brain Tumor Detection using Modified Fuzzy Segmentation

(IJIRST/ Volume 2 / Issue 03/ 010)

U = Uij, i =1, ..., c, j =1,..., n

Where Uij is a numerical value in [0, 1] that tells the degree to which the element xJ belongs to the ithcluster.
1) Step 1: Repeat for each pixel aij of image X.
2) Step 2: Select the number of clusters
,
Exponential weight
(1< < ),
Initial partition matrix U0, and the termination criterion . Also, set the iteration index l to 0.
3) Step 3: Calculate the fuzzy cluster centers
using U1
4) Step 4: Calculate the new partition matrix
5) Step 5: Find out, whether in the closest surroundings of pixel aij exists segment, which points belong to same cluster
center C and partition matrix Ui based on Energy of Pixels.
6) Step 6: Merge all Fuzzy segments which belong to one cluster center.
7) Step 7: Calculate the new partition matrix, for next iteration of segmentation
|
|
|
|
8) Step 8: if
then, set i = i + 1, and recalculate Fuzzy cluster centers.
9) Step 9: if
Terminate

IV. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

In our work we have taken many MRI Scans images containing tumor region in them at various locations, each tumor has its
own unique properties such as size, shape, volume, energy and brain region.

Fig. 1: Sample Brain Tumor taken from MRI Scanner

In our work we have taken many MRI Scans images containing tumor region in them at various locations, each tumor has its
own unique properties such as size, shape, volume, energy and brain region.

Fig. 2: Another Sample of Brain Tumor Image taken from MRI Scanner

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Brain Tumor Detection using Modified Fuzzy Segmentation

(IJIRST/ Volume 2 / Issue 03/ 010)

Fig. 3: Image Thresholding using Previous Method

The above figure shows the lack of proper segmentation in previous methods, due to the fact that tumor is a soft tissue and
cannot by segmented by hard partitioning methods.

Fig. 4: Expert Region Selection in the proposed method

The Expert region is required to set the initial Seed region of the image as it allows the algorithm to search only in specified
region of the image rather than the complete MRI Scan this makes algorithm faster.

Fig. 5: Filtered Intensity Image for Brain showing Tumor Regions

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Brain Tumor Detection using Modified Fuzzy Segmentation

(IJIRST/ Volume 2 / Issue 03/ 010)

In above figure the Tumor region is clear identified by the first step of the algorithm, in figure below the region energy level is
again adjusted for selecting the minimal fuzzy region for tumour segmentation

Fig. 6: Filtered Intensity Image for Brain showing Tumor Regions

Fig. 7: Initial Region Selected By the Algorithm for analysis

Fig. 8: Final segmented Region using Fuzzy based Approach

It is clearly shown in above figure that the Fuzzy based algorithm by utilizing the energy of the tumor in image quickly
expands to the desired Region of interest that is Tumor taking at from 50 to at most 200 iterations in just a few seconds. Bar chart
below describes the Number of iterations vs. Time required for each MRI image.-

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Brain Tumor Detection using Modified Fuzzy Segmentation

(IJIRST/ Volume 2 / Issue 03/ 010)

Fig. 9: Number of iterations vs Time required for each image

V. CONCLUSION
To eliminate the dependence of the operator and improve the accuracy of diagnosis system aided diagnosis computer are a
valuable and beneficial means for the detection of cancer and classification. Segmentation techniques based on gray level
techniques such as threshold and techniques based on region are the simplest and find limited application techniques. However,
their performance can be improved by incorporating them with the methods of hybrid clustering. techniques based on textural
characteristics using atlas or look-up table can have excellent results on the segmentation of medical images , however, they need
expertise in the construction of the atlas Limiting the technical atlas based is that , in some circumstances , it becomes difficult to
choose correctly and label data has difficulty in segmenting complex structure with variable shape, size and properties in such
situations it is best to use unsupervised methods such as fuzzy algorithms. In this work we proposed a novel fuzzy based MRI
Image Segmentation algorithm, Fuzzy Segmentation involves the task of dividing data points into homogeneous classes or
clusters so that items in the same class are as similar as possible and items in different classes are as dissimilar as possible. The
results show that Fuzzy based Segmentation can successfully segment a tumor provided the parameters are set properly in the
environment

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