A semi-automatic system for segmentation of cardiac M-mode images

Pixel classifiers are often adopted in pattern recognition as a suitable method for image segmentation. A common approach to the performance evaluation of classifier systems is based on the measurement of the classification errors and, at the same time, on the computational time. In general, multiclassifiers have proven to be more precise in the classification in many applications, but at the cost of a higher computational load. This paper analyzes different classifiers and proposes an evaluation of the classifiers in the case of semi-automatic processes with human interaction. Medical imaging is a typical application, where automatic or semi-automatic segmentation can be a valuable support to the diagnosis. The paper focuses on the segmentation of cardiac images of fruit flies (genetic model for analyzing human heart’s diseases). Analysis is based on M-modes, that are gray-level images derived from mono-dimensional projections of the video frames on a line. Segmentation of the M-mode images is provided by classifiers and integrated in a multiclassifier. A neural network classifier, a Bayesian classifier, and a classifier based on hidden Markov chains are joined by means of a Behavior Knowledge Space fusion rule. The comparative evaluation is discussed in terms of both accuracy and required time, in which the time to correct the classifier errors by means of human intervention is also taken into account.

Gradient-based approach for fine registration of panorama images

This paper studies the application of gradient-based motion detection techniques (i.e., optical flow methods) for registration of adjacent images taken using a hand-held camera for the purposes of building a panorama. A general 8-parameter model or a more compact 3-parameter model is commonly used for transformation estimation. However, both models are approximations to the real situation when viewpoint position is not absolutely fixed but includes a small translation, and thus distortion and blurring are sometimes present in the final registration results. This paper proposes a new 5-parameter model that shows better result and has less strict requirement on good choice of unknown initial parameters. An analysis of disparity recovery range and its enlargement using Gaussian filter is also given.     

肺部CT图像中的解剖结构分割方法综述

目的 高分辨率多层螺旋CT是临床医生研究肺部解剖结构功能、评估生理状态、检测和诊断病变的主要影像学工具。鉴于肺部各解剖结构间特殊的关联关系和图像成像缺陷、组织病变等干扰因素对分割效果的影响,学术界已在经典图像处理方法基础上针对CT图像中的肺部解剖结构分割进行了大量研究。方法 通过对相关领域有代表性或前沿性文献的归纳总结,系统性地梳理了现有肺组织、肺气管、肺血管、肺裂纹、肺叶或肺段等解剖结构CT图像分割方法的主要流程、方法理论、关键技术和优缺点,讨论了各解剖结构分割的参考数据获取、实验设计方法和结果评价指标。结果 分析了现有研究在结果精度和鲁棒性方面所面临的挑战性问题,以及基于分割结果在定位病变、定量测量、提取其他结构等方面展开的热点应用,特别详述了当前被重点关注的深度学习方法在本领域的工作进展,同时展望了本领域在分割理论方法和后续处理等步骤的发展趋势,并探索了如何在实践中根据分割结果发现新的临床生物标志。结论 快速精确地从CT图像中分割肺部各解剖结构可以获取清晰直观的3维可视化结构影像,展开解剖结构内部的定量参数测量或结构之间的关联关系分析能提供客观、有效的肺部组织疾病辅助诊断依据信息,可以大大减轻临床医生的阅片负担、提高工作效率,具有重要的理论研究意义和临床应用价值。     

A topology preserving non-rigid registration algorithm with integration shape knowledge to segment brain subcortical structures from MRI images

A new non-rigid registration method combining image intensity and a priori shape knowledge of the objects in the image is proposed. This method, based on optical flow theory, uses a topology correction strategy to prevent topological changes of the deformed objects and the a priori shape knowledge to keep the object shapes during the deformation process. Advantages of the method over classical intensity based non-rigid registration are that it can improve the registration precision with the a priori knowledge and allows to segment objects at the same time, especially efficient in the case of segmenting adjacent objects having similar intensities. The proposed algorithm is applied to segment brain subcortical structures from 15 real brain MRI images and evaluated by comparing with ground truths. The obtained results show the efficiency and robustness of our method.     

A framework with modified fast FCM for brain MR images segmentation

Intensity inhomogeneity, noise and partial volume (PV) effect render a challenging task for segmentation of brain magnetic resonance (MR) images. Most of the current MR image segmentation methods focus on only one or two of the effects listed above. In this paper, a framework with modified fast fuzzy c-means for brain MR images segmentation is proposed to take all these effects into account simultaneously and improve the accuracy of image segmentations. Firstly, we propose a new automated method to determine the initial values of the centroids. Secondly, an adaptive method to incorporate the local spatial continuity is proposed to overcome the noise effectively and prevent the edge from blurring. The intensity inhomogeneity is estimated by a linear combination of a set of basis functions. Meanwhile, a regularization term is added to reduce the iteration steps and accelerate the algorithm. The weights of the regularization terms are all automatically computed to avoid the manually tuned parameter. Synthetic and real MR images are used to test the proposed framework. Improved performance of the proposed algorithm is observed where the intensity inhomogeneity, noise and PV effect are commonly encountered. The experimental results show that the proposed method has stronger anti-noise property and higher segmentation precision than other reported FCM-based techniques.     

头部CT图像多阈值分割的优化实现

阈值分割是医学图像预处理方法的一种,合适的分割方法能减少后续图像处理的数据。单独使用传统的阈值分割方法往往效率很低。提出一种基于遗传算法的图像多阈值分割方法。通过设计最大类间方差法与遗传算法相结合的算法,对头部CT图像进行分割,并与遍历算法作比较。实验结果表明,此方法不仅保留遍历算法的精度,并且快速得到最优阈值,明显提高了分割的效率。     

局部高斯分布拟合的脑MR图像分割及有偏场校正

为实现对灰度不均匀脑核磁共振(MR)图像分割的同时进行有偏场估计并校正,提出一种基于局部高斯分布拟合(LGDF)模型的多相水平集方法.通过分析图像有偏场模型的局部特性,将有偏场乘性因子引入到图像局部灰度均值的表达中,从而使有偏场乘性因子成为新的能量函数的变量.能量函数的迭代最小化既实现了目标组织分割,又有效估计了有偏场.合成图像和仿真脑MR图像实验结果表明,本文方法比现有多种方法分割性能更好,且利用本文方法估计的有偏场校正后的图像有更好的视觉效果.     

A reinforcement agent for object segmentation in ultrasound images

The principal contribution of this work is to design a general framework for an intelligent system to extract one object of interest from ultrasound images. This system is based on reinforcement learning. The input image is divided into several sub-images, and the proposed system finds the appropriate local values for each of them so that it can extract the object of interest. The agent uses some images and their ground-truth (manually segmented) version to learn from. A reward function is employed to measure the similarities between the output and the manually segmented images, and to provide feedback to the agent. The information obtained can be used as valuable knowledge stored in the Q-matrix. The agent can then use this knowledge for new input images. The experimental results for prostate segmentation in trans-rectal ultrasound images show high potential of this approach in the field of ultrasound image segmentation.     

A multi-plane approach for text segmentation of complex document images

This study presents a new method, namely the multi-plane segmentation approach, for segmenting and extracting textual objects from various real-life complex document images. The proposed multi-plane segmentation approach first decomposes the document image into distinct object planes to extract and separate homogeneous objects including textual regions of interest, non-text objects such as graphics and pictures, and background textures. This process consists of two stages—localized histogram multilevel thresholding and multi-plane region matching and assembling. Then a text extraction procedure is applied on the resultant planes to detect and extract textual objects with different characteristics in the respective planes. The proposed approach processes document images regionally and adaptively according to their respective local features. Hence detailed characteristics of the extracted textual objects, particularly small characters with thin strokes, as well as gradational illuminations of characters, can be well-preserved. Moreover, this way also allows background objects with uneven, gradational, and sharp variations in contrast, illumination, and texture to be handled easily and well. Experimental results on real-life complex document images demonstrate that the proposed approach is effective in extracting textual objects with various illuminations, sizes, and font styles from various types of complex document images.     

一种新的粘连字符图像分割方法

针对监控画面采样图像中数字的自动识别问题,提出一种新的粘连字符图像分割方法。该方法以预处理后二值图像的连通状况来判定字符粘连的存在,并对粘连字符图像采用上下轮廓极值法确定候选粘连分割点,以双向最短路径确定合适的图像分割线路。仿真实验表明,该方法能有效解决粘连字符图像的分割问题。     

基于残差双注意力U-Net模型的CT图像囊肿肾脏自动分割

人体肾脏存在形状的多样性和解剖学的复杂性,囊肿病变也会导致肾脏形状发生大幅变化。为应对CT图像囊肿肾脏自动分割存在的诸多挑战,提出一种新型深度分割网络模型。该模型设计有带残差连接的双注意力模块,在残差结构的基础上,联合空间注意力和通道注意力机制自适应学习更加有效的特征表达。依据U-Net架构,以残差双注意力模块为基础模块构建编码器和解码器,设置层级间的跳跃连接,使网络能够更加关注肾脏区域特征,有效应对肾脏的形状变化。为了验证所提模型的有效性,从医院共采集79位肾囊肿患者的CT图像进行训练和测试,实验结果表明该模型能够准确分割CT图像切片中的肾脏区域,且各项分割指标优于多个经典分割网络模型。     

A new iris segmentation method for non-ideal iris images

Many researchers have studied iris recognition techniques in unconstrained environments, where the probability of acquiring non-ideal iris images is very high due to off-angles, noise, blurring and occlusion by eyelashes, eyelids, glasses, and hair. Although there have been many iris segmentation methods, most focus primarily on the accurate detection with iris images which are captured in a closely controlled environment. This paper proposes a new iris segmentation method that can be used to accurately extract iris regions from non-ideal quality iris images. This research has following three novelties compared to previous works; firstly, the proposed method uses AdaBoost eye detection in order to compensate for the iris detection error caused by the two circular edge detection operations; secondly, it uses a color segmentation technique for detecting obstructions by the ghosting effects of visible light; and thirdly, if there is no extracted corneal specular reflection in the detected pupil and iris regions, the captured iris image is determined as a “closed eye” image.     

A non-parametric segmentation methodology for oral videocapillaroscopic images

We aim to describe a new non-parametric methodology to support the clinician during the diagnostic process of oral videocapillaroscopy to evaluate peripheral microcirculation. Our methodology, mainly based on wavelet analysis and mathematical morphology to preprocess the images, segments them by minimizing the within-class luminosity variance of both capillaries and background. Experiments were carried out on a set of real microphotographs to validate this approach versus handmade segmentations provided by physicians. By using a leave-one-patient-out approach, we pointed out that our methodology is robust, according to precision–recall criteria (average precision and recall are equal to 0.924 and 0.923, respectively) and it acts as a physician in terms of the Jaccard index (mean and standard deviation equal to 0.858 and 0.064, respectively).     

CT图像肺及肺病变区域分割方法综述

计算机断层扫描(computed tomography, CT)技术能为新冠肺炎(corona virus disease 2019,COVID-19)和肺癌等肺部疾病的诊断与治疗提供更全面的信息,但是由于肺部疾病的类型多样且复杂,使得对肺CT图像进行高质量的肺病变区域分割成为计算机辅助诊断的重难点问题。为了对肺CT图像的肺及肺病变区域分割方法的现状进行全面研究,本文综述了近年国内外发表的相关文献：对基于区域和活动轮廓的肺CT图像传统分割方法的优缺点进行比较与总结,传统的肺CT图像分割方法因其实现原理简单且分割速度快等优点,早期使用较多,但其存在分割精度不高的缺点,目前仍有不少基于传统方法的改进策略;重点分析了基于卷积神经网络(convolutional neural network, CNN)、全卷积网络(fully convolutional network, FCN)、U-Net和生成对抗网络(generative adversarial network, GAN)的肺CT图像分割网络结构改进模型的研究进展,基于深度学习的分割方法具有分割精度高、迁移学习能力强和鲁棒性高等优点,特...     

Detection of cardiac wall motion asynchrony by computer analysis techniques

Digital image processing is emerging as an increasingly important modality in the evolution of different types of image acquisition and analysis in cardiology. It has become an integral element in the technologies that are being developped and explored. New mathematical concepts in the assessment of cardiac function have been applied to digital images of the heart. Among them, the measurement of temporal changes in regional wall motion of the heart using Fourier analysis led to a significant improvement in the detection of regional alterations of ventricular function. Several imaging modalities can benefit from this approach for the assessment of the temporal sequence of cardiac wall motion.     

有效的染色体分割新方法

在染色体图像分析与识别中,将粘连或是交叠的染色体分割开的关键技术是找到正确的分割点。通过使用一种边界链码的计算方法来准确定位分割点所属的凹点,即候选分割点;再利用候选分割点间的距离阈值和边界弧长阈值判断并筛选出正确的分割点。同时提出了两条粘连的染色体在其端部粘连或首尾粘连情况下的正确分割方法。     

A genetic algorithm for MRF-based segmentation of multi-spectral textured images

A segmentation approach based on a Markov random field (MRF) model is an iterative algorithm; it needs many iteration steps to approximate a near optimal solution or gets a non-suitable solution with a few iteration steps. In this paper, we use a genetic algorithm (GA) to improve an unsupervised MRF-based segmentation approach for multi-spectral textured images. The proposed hybrid approach has the advantage that combines the fast convergence of the MRF-based iterative algorithm and the powerful global exploration of the GA. In experiments, synthesized color textured images and multi-spectral remote-sensing images were processed by the proposed approach to evaluate the segmentation performance. The experimental results reveal that the proposed approach really improves the MRF-based segmentation for the multi-spectral textured images.     

An automated hybrid approach using clustering and nature inspired optimization technique for improved tumor and tissue segmentation in magnetic resonance brain images

In the domain of human brain image analysis, identification of tumor region and segmentation of tissue structures tend to be a challenging task. Automated segmentation of Magnetic Resonance (MR) brain images would be of great assistance to radiologist, as they minimize the complication evolved due to human interface and offer quicker segmentation results. Automated algorithms offer minimal time duration and lesser manual intervention to a radiologist during clinical diagnosis. Moreover, larger volumes of patient data could be assessed with the aid of an automated algorithm and one such algorithm is proposed through this research to identify the tumor region bounded between normal tissue regions and edema portions. The proposed algorithm offers a better support to a radiologist in the process of diagnosing the pathologies, since; it utilizes both optimization and clustering techniques. Bacteria Foraging Optimization (BFO) and Modified Fuzzy K − Means algorithm (MFKM) are the optimization and clustering techniques used to render efficient MR brain image analysis. The proposed combinational algorithm is compared with Particle Swarm Optimization based Fuzzy C − Means algorithm (PSO based FCM), Modified Fuzzy K − Means (MFKM) and conventional FCM algorithm. The suggested methodology is evaluated using the comparison parameters such as sensitivity, Specificity, Jaccard Tanimoto Co − efficient Index (TC) and Dice Overlap Index (DOI), computational time and memory requirement. The algorithm proposed through this paper has produced appreciable values of sensitivity and specificity, which are 97.14% and 93.94%, respectively. Finally, it is found that the proposed BFO based MFKM algorithm offers better MR brain image segmentation and provides extensive support to radiologists.     

基于深度学习的实例分割研究综述

深度学习在计算机视觉领域已经取得很大发展,虽然基于深度学习的实例分割研究近年来才成为研究热点,但其技术可广泛应用在自动驾驶,辅助医疗和遥感影像等领域。实例分割作为计算机视觉的基础问题之一,不仅需要对不同类别目标进行像素级别分割,还要对不同目标进行区分。此外,目标形状的灵活性,不同目标间的遮挡和繁琐的数据标注问题都使实例分割任务面临极大的挑战。本文对实例分割中一些具有价值的研究成果按照两阶段和单阶段两部分进行了系统性的总结,分析了不同算法的优缺点并对比了模型在COCO数据集上的测试性能,归纳了实例分割在特殊条件下的应用,简要介绍了常用数据集和评价指标。最后,对实例分割未来可能的发展方向及其面临的挑战进行了展望。     

A method for combining complementary techniques for document image segmentation

Image segmentation is a major task of handwritten document image processing. Many of the proposed techniques for image segmentation are complementary in the sense that each of them using a different approach can solve different difficult problems such as overlapping, touching components, influence of author or font style etc. In this paper, a combination method of different segmentation techniques is presented. Our goal is to exploit the segmentation results of complementary techniques and specific features of the initial image so as to generate improved segmentation results. Experimental results on line segmentation methods for handwritten documents demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed combination method.