PC-based multiparameter full-color display for tissue segmentation in MRI of adnexal masses

Our purpose was to apply full-color composite generation methods to multiparameter MRI to assess the ability of the technique to quantitatively segment clinically important anatomic and pathologic tissues. With use of a personal computer with a 386 microprocessor and full-color (24 bit) graphics display capabilities, custom and commercially available image-processing softwares were applied to spatially aligned multiparameter SE MR image sets obtained from six patients undergoing diagnostic work-up for suspected adnexal or pelvic masses to generate intensity-based color composites. To quantitatively assess the ability of this technique to differentially segment anatomically and pathologically confirmed tissue types into unique color regions within the full-color spectrum, color image analysis was performed on the multiparameter color composites within each patient case, and the results were compared using 95% confidence intervals. Based on the results of pathologic correlation and color image analysis, the generation of full-color composites represents a feasible technique for compressing the diverse tissue contrast data present in multiparameter MR images of adnexal masses. With this technique, it is possible to generate composites that simultaneously display uniquely color-coded anatomic and pathologic tissue information within the context of partially natural-appearing images.