Comparison Study for Spinal Cord Segmentation Methods aiming to detect SC Atrophy in MRI images: case of Multiple Sclerosis

Among neurological diseases, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the leading cause of disability in young adults. Several researches have been carried out to explore this disease and detect MS lesions in Magnetic Resonance (MR) images. In fact, lesions segmentation in MR images is very important for accurate diagnosis, adequate treatment and for monitoring the patient with MS. Spinal cord (SC) atrophy occurs at the onset of MS and there is a correlation between atrophy and disability development. Generally, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive method, which allows the visualization of demyelination plaques and the quantification of spinal cord atrophy. Detection and quantification of SC atrophy in MRI images are the key to the assessment of the states of MS patients. In this paper, we present a comparative study between different spinal cord segmentation methods aiming to quantify spinal cord atrophy.