PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately create a tree structure corresponding to a predetermined structure from medical image data.SOLUTION: The predetermined structure repeatedly branching from an origin and extending in directions away from the origin in such a manner to become wider is extracted, as a candidate of a tree structure defined by a plurality of nodes Ni including a root node N0 corresponding to the origin and a plurality of edges E, from medical image data. A tree structure is created by reevaluating the definition of the tree structure, with respect to each of the plurality of nodes N defining the candidate of the tree structure, by using a cost function that weights a probability that the plurality of nodes are connected to each other by evaluating a relationship between each of the plurality of nodes Ni and the root node N0 based on a geometric characteristic that the predetermined structure repeatedly branches from the root node and extends in directions away from the root node in such a manner to become wider.COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】医用画像データから、所定の構造物に対応する木構造を精度よく作成する。【解決手段】医用画像データから、1つの起始部から分岐を繰り返しながら離れる方向に広がって延びる所定の構造物を起始部に対応する根ノードN0を含む複数のノードNiと複数のエッジEによって定義した木構造の候補として抽出し、抽出した木構造の候補の各ノードNについて、所定の構造物が根ノードから分岐を繰り返しながら離れる方向に広がって延びるという幾何学的特徴に基づいて各ノードNiと根ノードN0との関係を評価することにより前記各ノード間の接続されやすさを重み付けするコスト関数を用いて、木構造の定義を再評価して木構造を作成する。【選択図】図3
