1. A method for detecting a structure in an image, the method comprising the steps of: digitizing the image; storing the digitized image in a memory of a data processing means; detecting automatically the structure using the data processing means and the digitized image comprising the steps of: segmenting the digitized image into a candidate structure to be classified; extracting features from the candidate structure; characterizing the candidate structure using the features; and classifying the candidate structure, using the extracted features, as structure or as background; and indicating the location of the structure in the image.