As an important improvement of geodesic active contour model

gradient vector flow geodesic active contour model enlarged the applicability of geodesic active contour and improved its segmentation effect. Because the external force driving the evolution of active contour derived from gradient vector flow

active contour may be trapped into undesired local minimum due to some reasons

such as weak edges. In order to decrease the limitation of active contour’s initial location and the negative influence of weak edges on the evolution of active contour

we proposed a new gradient vector flow geodesic active contour model aided region force. This model combined external force field based on region information with gradient vector flow force field. This coupling external force field enables geodesic active contour to overcome the influence of weak edges and converge desired boundary. Experimental results show that gradient vector flow geodesic active contour model aided region force has more flexibility to determine the initial contour，better adaptability to the disturbance of weak edges and can effectively avoid boundary leakage compared with gradient vector flow geodesic active contour model.