Multiscale vessel enhancement filtering

The multiscale second order local structure of an image (Hessian) is examined with the purpose of developing a vessel enhancement filter. A vesselness measure is obtained on the basis of all eigenvalues of the Hessian. This measure is tested on two dimensional DSA and three dimensional aortoiliac and cerebral MRA data. Its clinical utility is shown by the simultaneous noise and background suppression and vessel enhancement in maximum intensity projections and volumetric displays.