Abstract: An operation of an iris filter is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the degree of centralization of gradients of the original image signal with respect to a picture element is thereby calculated, each of picture elements constituting the image being taken as the picture element. An image portion, which is associated with a high degree of centralization, in the image is detected in accordance with the calculated degree of centralization. Image emphasis processing is then selectively carried out on the detected image portion. Alternatively, a morphology operation is carried out on an original image signal Dorg by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor &lgr;, and a morphology signal Dmor is thereby obtained.

Abstract: An operation of an iris filter is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the degree of centralization of gradients of the original image signal with respect to a picture element is thereby calculated, each of picture elements constituting the image being taken as the picture element. An image portion, which is associated with a high degree of centralization, in the image is detected in accordance with the calculated degree of centralization. Image emphasis processing is then selectively carried out on the detected image portion. Alternatively, a morphology operation is carried out on an original image signal Dorg by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor .lambda., and a morphology signal Dmor is thereby obtained.

Abstract: Accompanying information obtained at the time of photographing, such as IX information on an APS film or Exif tag information in a digital camera, can be used efficiently and easily when image data having been recorded in a file are reproduced. The accompanying information such as the IX information or the Exif tag information is obtained from an image source together with image data. A file in which the accompanying information is described as property streams of a structured storage file comprising the image data and the accompanying information as its components is automatically generated and recorded in a recording medium such as a CD-R to be provided to a customer.

Abstract: An operation of an iris filter is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the degree of centralization of gradients of the original image signal with respect to a picture element is thereby calculated, each of picture elements constituting the image being taken as the picture element. An image portion, which is associated with a high degree of centralization, in the image is detected in accordance with the calculated degree of centralization. Image emphasis processing is then selectively carried out on the detected image portion. Alternatively, a morphology operation is carried out on an original image signal Dorg by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor .lambda., and a morphology signal Dmor is thereby obtained.

Abstract: An operation of an iris filter is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the degree of centralization of gradients of the original image signal with respect to a picture element is thereby calculated, each of picture elements constituting the image being taken as the picture element. An image portion, which is associated with a high degree of centralization, in the image is detected in accordance with the calculated degree of centralization. Image emphasis processing is then selectively carried out on the detected image portion. Alternatively, a morphology operation is carried out on an original image signal Dorg by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor .lambda., and a morphology signal Dmor is thereby obtained.

Abstract: When a reprint of a picture which has been printed once and stored as picture image data is requested under a different condition, the reprint can be generated without carrying out rereading of a film. When film reading for generating a print is carried out, as much information showing the content of the picture image is recorded on the film as possible. This includes information which is not necessary for generating the requested print. It is stored as a portion of the picture image data. In this manner, even when a reprint under a condition different from the previous printing is requested, the print can be generated by reading necessary content from the stored picture image data.

Abstract: A radiation image signal, which has been obtained by reading out a radiation image having been recorded by use of an irradiation field stop and having an irradiation field thereon, is thinned out at a predetermined rate, and a thinned-out image signal is thereby obtained. The shape and location of the irradiation field are determined in accordance with the thinned-out image signal, and a range of a blackening process is set in accordance with the results of the determination. A blackening process is carried out on the thinned-out image signal with respect to the set blackening process range, and a visible image is reproduced from the thinned-out image signal., which has been obtained from the blackening process. The blackening process range is corrected in accordance with the visible image reproduced from the thinned-out image signal, which has been obtained from the blackening process.

Abstract: An operation of an iris filter is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the degree of centralization of gradients of the original image signal with respect to a picture element is thereby calculated, each of picture elements constituting the image being taken as the picture element. An image portion, which is associated with a high degree of centralization, in the image is detected in accordance with the calculated degree of centralization. Image emphasis processing is then selectively carried out on the detected image portion. Alternatively, a morphology operation is carried out on an original image signal Dorg by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor .lambda., and a morphology signal Dmor is thereby obtained.

Abstract: An abnormal pattern detecting apparatus comprises a device for finding prospective abnormal patterns in a radiation image of an object from an image signal representing the radiation image, and a device for finding anatomical information about the object from the image signal. From the image signal components of the image signal, which represent the image information at positions in the vicinity of each prospective abnormal pattern, a characteristic measure calculating device calculates a plurality of characteristic measures for each prospective abnormal pattern. An abnormal pattern finding device utilizes the characteristic measures and the anatomical information in order to find a true abnormal pattern from the prospective abnormal patterns.

Abstract: In an iris filter operation method, an image signal representing a radiation image of an object is obtained, and a tumor pattern is detected from the radiation image in accordance with the image signal. In an n'th operation processing of the iris filter, information representing the address of each of the picture elements, which are located along each of radial lines extending radially from a picture element of interest, is stored in an address storing means. A calculation is made to find a relative address of each of the picture elements of interest, which are set for an n+1'th processing and those that follow, with respect to the picture element of interest, which has been set in the n'th processing. The address calculation in each of the n+1'th processing and those that follow is carried out by adding the calculated relative address to the address of each of the picture elements, which address has been stored in the address storing means.

Abstract: An apparatus for computer aided diagnosis of images comprises an entire area image memory for storing an entire area image signal representing a radiation image of an object, and a prospective abnormal pattern detecting device for detecting a prospective abnormal pattern in the radiation image in accordance with the entire area image signal. A judgment device makes a judgment as to the presence or absence of the prospective abnormal pattern in accordance with the results of the detection of the prospective abnormal pattern carried out by the prospective abnormal pattern detecting device. In cases where the judgment device has judged that the prospective abnormal pattern is present, a local area extracting device extracts a local area limited image signal corresponding to a local area containing the prospective abnormal pattern from the entire area image signal having been stored in the entire area image memory.

Abstract: Prospective abnormal patterns in a radiation image of an object are detected in accordance with an image signal representing the radiation image. A probability density function of the image signal, which corresponds to a region, that is inward from a contour of each of the prospective abnormal patterns having been detected, and a neighboring region, is formed. Probability density function information in accordance with the probability density function is obtained. A definite prospective abnormal pattern, which is among the prospective abnormal patterns having been detected and has a high level of probability that it will be the true abnormal pattern, is detected in accordance with the probability density function information.

Abstract: A stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image of an object has been stored, is exposed to stimulating rays, which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation. The emitted light is detected by a photoelectric read-out device, and an image signal representing the radiation image is thereby obtained. Threshold value processing is carried out in accordance with the obtained image signal, and a prospective abnormal pattern is thereby detected from the radiation image. A predetermined threshold value, which is used in the threshold value processing for detecting the prospective abnormal pattern, is set to be a small value as the amount of change in the image signal corresponding to the region in the vicinity of the prospective abnormal pattern becomes large.

Abstract: Reference regions are set in a radiation image, which serves as a reference among a plurality of radiation images, and template regions are set in the other radiation images. An orthogonal coordinate system is defined on each of the plurality of the radiation images. First template matching is carried out in order to match the template regions to the reference regions. Factors of affine transformation are calculated, and first affine transformation is carried out, with which at least the correction with a rotating operation and the correction with an enlargement or reduction factor are carried out on the radiation images containing the template regions. Second template matching is then carried out on the radiation images, which have been obtained from the first affine transformation.

Abstract: With a method for compressing a dynamic range of an image, an original image signal Sorg representing an original image is processed, and a processed image signal Sproc representing an image having a narrower dynamic range than the original image is thereby generated. The method comprises the steps of calculating the value of an unsharp mask signal Sus corresponding to each of picture elements in the original image by averaging the values of image signal components of the original image signal Sorg, which image signal components represent the picture elements belonging to a predetermined region surrounding each picture element. Values of the processed image signal Sproc are calculated with the formulaSproc=Sorg+f1(Sus)where f1(Sus) represents a function, the value of which decreases monotonously as the value of the unsharp mask signal Sus increases.

Abstract: In a method for detecting a prospective abnormal pattern, a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image of an object has been stored, is exposed to stimulating rays, which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation. The emitted light is detected by a photoelectric read-out device, and an image signal representing the radiation image is thereby obtained. A prospective abnormal pattern is detected from the radiation image in accordance with the obtained image signal. During the detection of the prospective abnormal pattern, in accordance with the image signal, calculations are made to find a normalized read-out sensitivity and a normalized latitude, which are equivalent to read-out conditions appropriate for obtaining a visible image reproduced from the radiation image.

Abstract: In a thermal recording apparatus using a thermo-sensitive recording medium, a semiconductor laser outputs a laser beam modulated according to a gradation signal of an image to be recorded for a first time interval required to scan an image region of the recording medium, and an acousto-optic modulator modulates a laser beam generated by a gas laser to supply the image region with heat energy less than a coloring energy of the recording medium for the first time interval, and to supply a region other than the image region with a high energy exceeding the coloring energy for a time interval required to scan the other region, to draw black borders surrounding the image recorded on the recording medium.

Abstract: An image read-out apparatus comprises an image read-out section provided with a read-out device for detecting image signals representing images from recording media, on which the images have been recorded, and an input device, with which information about the kinds of the images is entered. The image read-out apparatus also comprises a first image signal storing section provided with a first storage device, which stores the image signals regardless of the kinds of the images. At least a single second image signal storing section is located which is provided with a second storage device for selectively storing only the image signals corresponding to a specific kind among the plurality of the kinds.

Abstract: With a method for compressing a dynamic range of an image, an original image signal Sorg representing an original image is processed, and a processed image signal Sproc representing an image having a narrower dynamic range than the original image is thereby generated. The method comprises the steps of calculating the value of an unsharp mask signal Sus corresponding to each of picture elements in the original image by averaging the values of image signal components of the original image signal Sorg, which image signal components represent the picture elements belonging to a predetermined region surrounding each picture element. Values of the processed image signal Sproc are calculated with the formulaSproc=Sorg+f1(Sus)where f1(Sus) represents a function, the value of which decreases monotonously as the value of the unsharp mask signal Sus increases.

Abstract: An energy subtraction processing method and apparatus for radiation images includes irradiating radiation, which has a predetermined energy range, into an object in a recording unit, and irradiating the radiation, which has passed through the object, to a recording medium capable of recording a plurality of radiation images during its exposure to radiation with different energy distributions. A plurality of radiation images of the object are thereby recorded on the recording medium. From the recording medium on which the radiation images have been recorded, a plurality of image signals are obtained by a read-out unit. The image signals represent the radiation images of the object. A modulation transfer function (MTF) correcting process is carried out on the image signals in an operation unit such that differences between MTF's of the radiation images of the object may be eliminated.