Curve evolution schemes for image segmentation based on a region based contour model
allowing for junctions, vector-valued images and topology changes are introduced. Together
with an a posteriori denoising in the segmented homogeneous regions this leads to a fast and
efficient method for image segmentation and restoration. An uneven spread of mesh points is
avoided by using the tangential degrees of freedom. Several numerical simulations on artificial
test problems and on real images illustrate the performance of the method.