Automatic search of contours and segmentation of sonographic transverse sections of the uterus with regard to an optimization of the individual isodose in case of carcinoma of the body of uterus

Intrauterine ultrasonography has proved to be an adequate method to represent the normal myometrium as well as its pathologic modifications, especially for the assessment of the localization and extent of malignant processes. So for the first time, intracavitary radiotherapy of the carcinoma of the body, especially the afterloading technique, can work by means of the produced crossections with a precisely defined target volume, because the sonographic probe and the afterloading probe have identical geometric configurations. A method is presented which allows a computer-assisted determination of the tumor volume by means of the segmentation of organ sections and a pseudo-threedimensional projection in combination with the energy dose distribution of the radioactive source. (orig.)