Diffusion probabilistic multi-cue level set for reducing edge uncertainty in pancreas segmentation

Accurately segmenting the pancreas remains a huge challenge. Traditional methods encounter difficulties in semantic localization due to the small volume and distorted structure of the pancreas, while deep learning methods encounter challenges in obtaining accurate edges because of low contrast and organ overlapping. To overcome these issues, we propose a multi-cue level set method based on the diffusion probabilistic model, namely Diff-mcs. Our method adopts a coarse-to-fine segmentation strategy. We use the diffusion probabilistic model in the coarse segmentation stage, with the obtained probability distribution serving as both the initial localization and prior cues for the level set method. In the fine segmentation stage, we combine the prior cues with grayscale cues and texture cues to refine the edge by maximizing the difference between probability distributions of the cues inside and outside the level set curve. The method is validated on three public datasets and achieves state-of-the-art performance, which can obtain more accurate segmentation results with lower uncertainty segmentation edges. In addition, we conduct ablation studies and uncertainty analysis to verify that the diffusion probability model provides a more appropriate initialization for the level set method. Furthermore, when combined with multiple cues, the level set method can better obtain edges and improve the overall accuracy. Our code is available at https://github.com/GOUYUEE/Diff-mcs.