Method of reference contour propagation and optimization

The invention relates to a detection method (300) of detecting a boundary in a second image data from an image dataset on the basis of a reference contour in a first image data from the image dataset, the detection method (300) comprising a generating step (320) for generating a reference profile using the first image data on the basis of a qualifying characteristic, the reference profile comprising a reference profile node defined on the basis of the reference contour, a selecting step (330) for selecting a target profile using the second image data on the basis of the reference profile, and a mapping step (335) for mapping the reference profile node into the second image data on the basis of the target profile, thereby detecting the second boundary. A reference profile generated on the basis of a qualifying characteristic is more accurate in detecting the boundary in the second image than an arbitrarily generated reference profile. Hence, the detection method (300) of the current invention is more accurate in detecting a boundary in a second image data from an image dataset on the basis of a reference contour in a first image data from the image dataset.