@article {1433648,
	title = {Multi-atlas and label fusion approach for patient-specific MRI based skull estimation},
	journal = {Magn Reson Med},
	volume = {75},
	number = {4},
	year = {2016},
	month = {2016 Apr},
	pages = {1797-807},
	abstract = {PURPOSE: MRI-based skull segmentation is a useful procedure for many imaging applications. This study describes a methodology for automatic segmentation of the complete skull from a single T1-weighted volume.

METHODS: The skull is estimated using a multi-atlas segmentation approach. Using a whole head computed tomography (CT) scan database, the skull in a new MRI volume is detected by nonrigid image registration of the volume to every CT, and combination of the individual segmentations by label-fusion. We have compared Majority Voting, Simultaneous Truth and Performance Level Estimation (STAPLE), Shape Based Averaging (SBA), and the Selective and Iterative Method for Performance Level Estimation (SIMPLE) algorithms.

RESULTS: The pipeline has been evaluated quantitatively using images from the Retrospective Image Registration Evaluation database (reaching an overlap of 72.46 {\textpm} 6.99\%), a clinical CT-MR dataset (maximum overlap of 78.31 {\textpm} 6.97\%), and a whole head CT-MRI pair (maximum overlap 78.68\%). A qualitative evaluation has also been performed on MRI acquisition of volunteers.

CONCLUSION: It is possible to automatically segment the complete skull from MRI data using a multi-atlas and label fusion approach. This will allow the creation of complete MRI-based tissue models that can be used in electromagnetic dosimetry applications and attenuation correction in PET/MR.},
	keywords = {Adult, Algorithms, Brain, Brain Diseases, Brain Mapping, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Retrospective Studies, Skull, User-Computer Interface, Young Adult},
	issn = {1522-2594},
	doi = {10.1002/mrm.25737},
	author = {Torrado-Carvajal, Angel and Herraiz, Joaquin L and Hernandez-Tamames, Juan A and San Jose-Estepar, Raul and Eryaman, Yigitcan and Rozenholc, Yves and Adalsteinsson, Elfar and Wald, Lawrence L and Malpica, Norberto}
}