A detection and classification method of a shape in a medical image is
provided. It is based on generating a plurality of 2-D sections through a
3-D volume in the medical image. In general, there are two steps. The
first step is feature estimation to generate shape signatures for
candidate volumes containing candidate shapes. The feature estimation
method computes descriptors of objects or of their images. The second
general step involves classification of these shape signatures for
diagnosis. A classifier contains, builds and/or trains a database of
descriptors for previously seen shapes, and then maps descriptors of
novel images to categories corresponding to previously seen shapes or
classes of shapes.