Joint registration and segmentation of histological volume data by diffusion-based label adaption

Three-dimensional serial section imaging delivers high spatial resolution and histological detail, which facilitates analysis of differentiation and development by exact labelling of tissues and cells, unknown to other 3-D imaging modalities. We propose an algorithm for interleaved reconstruction and segmentation of tissues in serial section volumes by diffusion-based registration and adaption of two-dimensional reference labellings. Iterative refinement of the global image congruence and local deformation of labellings delivers an efficient algorithm for processing of large volume data-sets. The benefits of the approach are shown by means of reconstruction and segmentation of giga-voxel serial section volumes of plant specimen.