Method and system for identification of calcification in imaged blood vessels

A computer implemented method identifying calcification in a patient image data set including blood vessels. The method includes: obtaining an image data set including voxels each having an intensity value; forming the intensity values into an intensity value group covering an intensity range; defining plural intensity thresholds across the intensity range and including its end values; for each intensity threshold, partitioning the intensity values into two sub-groups according to intensity threshold, and calculating an information criterion based on intensity threshold; generating an information criterion measure curve that plots the calculated information criteria against intensity threshold; locating a maximum in the information criterion measure curve and setting the corresponding intensity threshold as a calcification threshold; and partitioning the intensity values into two sub-groups using the calcification threshold, identifying voxels corresponding to intensity values in the sub-group above the calcification threshold as representing calcification in the patient.