Fig 3.

An example of applying the CS method on the lumbar disk between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae of a control rabbit. After the user selects, with a box, the area surrounding the disk, the contour isolines are generated and the user is prompted to select the largest closed area (shown as a red line) within the vertebrae, which is assumed to represent the NP. After the selection is made, the MR image is displayed with the selected region of interest bounded by a red line. Additionally, the NP boundary between the second and third as well as fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae is displayed in red.