Development and validation of an algorithm forsegmentation of the cochlea from medical images

A cochlear implant (CI) is a complex electronic device designed to provide the sensation of sound to profoundly deaf or severely hard-of-hearing individuals. Imaging of the implanted CI electrode would assist manufacturers in verifying the efficacy of their designs and would also provide important information to clinics for programming CIs post-surgery. However, the size and position of the cochlea in the body make it difficult to image using clinical imaging scanners. In this proposal, the intern will develop and evaluate a novel image processing computer algorithm to extract anatomical information from digital images acquired using clinical scanners. The main deliverable of this work will be computer software that can be used with currently available scanners, so hospitals need not purchase additional equipment. The intern working on this project will gain highly desirable experience with state-of-the-art digital image processing algorithms, and this will make him highly employable in Canada’s imaging industry.

Faculty Supervisor:

Hanif Ladak

Student:

Partner:

MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH;Lawson Health Research Institute

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Western University

Program: