1. A method for automated measurement of a structure in an image data set, the method comprising: (a) providing a baseline data set, a plurality of training data sets and classifying maps identifying the structure in the baseline data set and in each of the plurality of training data sets; (b) registering each of the plurality of training data sets to the baseline data set to produce a first registration result; (c) from the first registration result, deriving class statistics comprising a mean value, a covariance matrix, and a probability map indicating a probability that the structure is found in each image element in each of the plurality of training data sets; (d) registering the baseline data set to the image data set to produce a second registration result; (e) from the second registration result, registering the probability map to the image data set to produce a third registration result; and (f) from the third registration result and the class statistics derived from the first registration result, locating the structure in the image data set.