Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing image data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes capturing, via an image sensor, an image that includes a plurality of objects including a target object, and receiving, from the target object, via a medium other than the image sensor, distinguishing information that is broadcast by the target object. The distinguishing information distinguishes the target object from other objects, and is used to select, within the captured image, the target object from among the other objects.

Abstract: An image reconstruction method is described as follows. A structural image of an object is obtained. An actual optical detected result of the object is obtained. An inhomogeneous initial state is determined based on the structural image. At least one solution converged with the actual optical detected result is determined by iteratively calculating a physical model from the inhomogeneous initial state. The image of the object is reconstructed based on the solution.

Abstract: A cell is provided that contains a plurality of virus particles. A first image of a first virus particle and a second image of a second virus particle are taken by electron microscopy technology. The first virus particle is characterized as being in a first maturity stage and the second virus particle as being in a second maturity stage. The first image and the second image are transformed to first and second gray scale profiles, respectively, based on pixel data. The first and second gray scale profiles are then saved as first and second templates, respectively. A third virus particle in a third image is identified. The third image is transformed into a third gray scale profile. The third gray scale is compared to the first and second template to determine a maturity stage of the third virus particle.

Abstract: The invention provides for an expandable multi channel radiometer imaging method and system. The imaging system includes a scanner for reflecting millimeter wave energy emanating from a pre-determined scene. The millimeter wave energy is focused to a focal plane array using an optical lens and a multi channel radiometer receives the millimeter wave energy. The focal plane array is formed by a plurality of pixels that each includes a single low noise amplifier. The number of pixels of the focal plane array is expendable to increase the resolution of a millimeter wave image. A virtual grid of cells is formed representing different values of millimeter wave energy within the imaging zone. Algorithms calculate differences of millimeter wave energy between cells of said virtual grid to display a composite image to identify concealed objects on an individual.

Abstract: An X-ray scanning apparatus for locating a contaminant in a product, the apparatus comprising: means for generating an X-ray image of the product; means for assigning a grey scale value to a plurality of pixels; means for identifying a plurality of suspect pixels; means, which for each suspect pixel: selects two neighboring pixels in a first direction lying on opposed sides of the suspect pixel and determines which of the first direction pixels has the lowest grey value; selects two neighboring pixels in a second direction lying on opposed sides of the suspect pixel and determines which of the second direction pixels has the lowest grey value; determines a first direction difference value by taking the grey value difference between the lowest grey value first direction pixel and the grey value of the suspect; determines a second direction difference value by taking the grey value difference between the lowest grey value second direction pixel and the grey value of the suspect; determines a first direction sco

Abstract: Systems and methods that allow transfer criteria to be defined based on one or more of several attributes, such as a particular user, site, or device, as well as whether individual images and/or image series are classified as thin slices, and applied to medical images in order to determine which images are downloaded, viewed, stored, and/or any number of other actions that might be performed with respect to particular images.

Abstract: Methods for improved reconstruction of a deforming surface may comprise canceling ambient occlusion of the deforming surface from an input image, computing an optical flow of the image, and refining a 3-D shape of the surface. Canceling ambient occlusion of the deforming surface may comprise computing the ambient occlusion of the surface, projecting the ambient occlusion onto each image plane, and then removing the ambient occlusion from the corresponding input image.

Abstract: A method and a computer system are disclosed for automatic vectorization of the profile of a vessel tree and at least one of its properties on the basis of tomographic images of an examined patient. In at least one embodiment, using previously established location probabilities of landmarks in the vessel tree, there is an automatic determination of a plurality of distinctive landmarks in the current tomographic image data record of the patient, a registration of the current tomographic image data record to the statistical vessel model, an automatic determination of previously unidentified landmarks in the registered tomographic image data record using characteristic identification features of the previously unidentified landmarks from the statistical vessel model and the statistical location probability thereof, and a determination of at least one current vessel model using the identified landmarks and at least one vessel property at and/or between the identified landmarks.

Abstract: A distance estimation device (1x) prevents the variation in distance estimation accuracy that has been a problem in distance estimation performed using an all-in-focus image and an arbitrary-focal-depth image. The distance estimation device can estimate a focal distance of any subject with a high degree of accuracy, and includes: a first generation unit (10w) generating a first distance map indicating a focal depth determined from an all-in-focus image and a first focal-depth image; a second generation unit (11w) generating a second distance map indicating a focal depth determined from the all-in-focus image and a second focal-depth image; and a distance map synthesis unit (14) synthesizing the generated first distance map and the generated second distance map to generate a synthetic distance map.

Abstract: Methods are provided for evaluating the ability of a tire to release materials from its tread during rotation. A tire tread is rotated about an axis while images of the tread are recorded to capture the effect of centrifugal forces on materials that have been loaded into the tread. The images are then used to quantify the location of certain events during the rotation of the tire tread such as when e.g., materials first began releasing from the tread during rotation and/or the rate of such release. These events can be correlated with other variables such as the rpm, centrifugal acceleration, and/or time at which such events occurred. By comparing these quantitative results for different tread patterns, the effect of differences between tread patterns can be evaluated to develop and improve the self-cleaning ability of a tire.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for image generation from biometric data is disclosed herein. In a described embodiment, the biometric data is in the form of IrisCode and the method comprises constructing a graph of filter responses and bits which define the biometric data; comparing the bits with corresponding bits of reference graphs of a trained database to obtain an optimal graph; updating the filter responses based on the optimal graph; and decompressing the IrisCode based on the updated filter responses to generate an image. The image may be a reconstruction of an original image which is defined by the IrisCode.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatic identification of a person based on an analysis of the person's skin. In one embodiment, a method for automatically identifying a person comprises acquiring white-light and UV images of a portion of the person's skin, generating a skin mask from the white-light image, and comparing the skin mask with a pre-stored skin mask of the person. If a substantial match is not found between the two skin masks, the person is not identified, and an error message such as “wrong person” or “person unknown” is returned. Otherwise, the method proceeds to obtain results associated with certain skin conditions using at least the UV image. The results are compared with pre-stored results to determine if the person is the right person or the wrong person.

Abstract: A system and method for digital staining of an image of biological tissue acquired with the use of multispectral imaging system. The method includes spectral enhancement of the originally-acquired image, which results in differentiation of colorimetrically-similar components of the tissue, and a linear mapping of the spectrally-enhanced image to an estimated target image that represents the spectral response of the tissue manually stained with a target stain.

Abstract: A system and method for the accurate quantitative evaluation of dual-energy computed tomography (CT) projection data that is acquired in a dual-source helical scan includes employing a dual-source z-axis helical interpolation method. The method includes transforming the two helical projection data sets, where corresponding projections of high- and low-energy data sets are shifted with respect to one another by 90 degrees or another angle, into corresponding non-helical projection data sets. A dual-source helical interpolation algorithm allows for projection space dual-energy processing by realigning the high- and low-energy datasets based on the z-axis interpolation. This algorithm may be implemented using a variety of interpolation schemes and can be extended from single slice to multi-slice data acquisitions.

Abstract: Recording a plurality of lesion area extraction processing data generated in advance according to a plurality of types of lesion areas, recording a radiology which includes a character string having a lesion description character and being related to position information of a lesion area in the medical image, determining lesion area extraction processing data used for the extraction from the plurality of lesion area extraction processing data based on the lesion description character provided in the radiology report, and performing the extraction using the determined lesion area extraction processing data and the position information of the lesion area related to the character string.

Abstract: In a device and associated method to extract a tissue sample, spatial coordinates of tissue variations in slice images are determined and tested by a forward projection in projection images in order, with tested spatial coordinates, to create revised slice images with a precise localization of a tissue variation.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods and devices for analyzing x-ray images. Furthermore, bone condition of a subject can be evaluated by analyzing x-ray images of the subject's bone from a sliding region of interest (ROI), e.g., an ROI that is moved on a pixel-by-pixel basis on the image, and therapies can then be selected or devised for the subject.

Abstract: A plurality of sets of volume data obtained by imaging a subject on different imaging dates or different imaging times are analyzed, to calculate at least one type of index value that represents the state of the subject within each set of volume data. Transition data that represent transitions in the index values are generated for each type of index value, based on the calculated index values. At least one subject map that includes a region in which transitions are detected is generated. Specified data from among the calculated index values and the generated transition data are correlated with regions within each subject map where transitions are detected, and output to a predetermined screen.

Abstract: A method for registering a 2-D DSA image to a 3-D image volume includes calculating a coarse similarity measure between a 2-D DRR of an aorta and a cardiac DSA image, and a 2-D DRR of a coronary artery and the cardiac DSA image, for a plurality of poses over a range of 2-D translations. Several DRR-pose combinations with largest similarity measures are selected as refinement candidates. The similarity measure is calculated between the refinement candidate DRRs and the DSA, for a plurality of poses over a range of 3-D translations and in-plane rotations. One or more DRR-pose combinations with largest similarity measures are selected as final candidates. The similarity measure between the final candidate DRRs the DSA are calculated for a plurality of poses over a range of 3D translations and 3D rotations, and a DRR-pose combination with a largest similarity measure is selected as a final registration result.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of generating a best estimate of an image attenuation map derived from a truncated image attenuation map and PET emissions data for the object being imaged by a morphological imaging modality. The method involves a plurality of steps beginning with the recordation and processing of PET emissions data. Next, the morphological imaging modality records image data which is processed to determine an attenuation map. The attenuation map, for image modalities such as CT and MR scanning systems integrated with PET, is truncated, resulting in a truncated attenuation map image. Pixels for which attenuation data needs to be determined are identified and attenuation coefficients for these pixels are estimated and combined with the truncated attenuation map to generate a full initial attenuation map for the image, which is iteratively processed together with the PET emission data until the improvement change in the emission image reaches a defined threshold improvement level.