Method for detection of abnormalities in three-dimensional imaging data

A method, system, and computer program product for determining existence of an abnormality in a medical image, including (1) obtaining volume image data corresponding to the medical image; (2) filtering the volume image data using an enhancement filter to produce a filtered image in which a predetermined pattern is enhanced; (3) detecting, in the filtered image, a first plurality of abnormality candidates using multiple gray-level thresholding; (4) grouping, based on size and local structures, the first plurality of abnormality candidates into a plurality of abnormality classes; (5) removing false positive candidates from each abnormality class based on class-specific image features to produce a second plurality of abnormality candidates; and (6) applying the at least one abnormality to a classifier and classifying each candidate in the second plurality of abnormality candidates as a false positive candidate or an abnormality.