Medical Image Processing

Name: Lee Zhirong Matric Number: U0921774A Lab Group: GP 3 Date: 10-10-2011

Exercise 1
5.1.5. MR Image of Knee

5.2.1. Image Montage

Exercise 2.1: High Pass Filter (Edge Detection)

Digital Photo
Original Photo:

Question 1: What do you think is being highlighted in the image by these filters? Filter A1: [ ]

Before Filtering

After Filtering

The vertical lines (edges) are being highlighted by filter A1.

Filter B1: [

Before Filtering

After Filtering

The horizontal lines (edges) are being highlighted by filter B1.

Filter C1: [

Before Filtering

After Filtering

Filter C1 is a Point Detection Filter. However, other than points(discontinuity) being highlighted, the vertical and horizontal lines were highlighted too. This shows that the edges in the image are not smooth and this image is of low resolution causing the filter to highlight the edges too.

Medical Image
Original Image:

Question 2: What did you observe? Comment on the results.

Filter A1: [

Before Filtering

After Filtering

Filter B1: [

Before Filtering

After Filtering

Filter C1: [

Before Filtering

After Filtering

From the results above, the images after filtering are similar for the 3 filters, especially after using filters A2 and B2. The edges in the 3 images cannot be seen distinctly. The reason for this anomaly lies in the way DICOM images are read and the way MATLAB processes. DICOM possess 16 bit images that produces images with a wider range of grey levels as compared to the 8 bit images that MATLAB produces. Hence, after filtering, we will observe that clipping occurs and that image sharpness is diluted. Also, due to changes in gray level whereby the contrast in the original image is less significant, minute details of the cartilage are not present in the filtered image making it more difficult to identify any anomalies.

Exercise 2.2: Low Pass Filters (Noise Removal)

Original Image:

Question 3: Comment on your results. How does the size of the filter affect the images, e.g the edges? Filter A2: [ ]

Before Filtering

After Filtering

The noise is significantly reduced with the help of the filter. But, this is done at the expense of the sharpness of the image though the general details and edges are still visible and distinct.

Filter B2: [ ]

Before Filtering

After Filtering

By using filter B2, The noise is reduced by a large extent compared to the noise reduction with filter A2. However, Sharpness has also decreased much significantly compared to previously. It can be seen that the image is slightly blur and the edges are less distinct. This is due to the large size of the averaging filter, causing grey values from a larger area of pixels to be averaged out hence resulting in a more blur image.

Filter C2: [ ]

Before Filtering

After Filtering

With Filter C2, the noise is removed the most out of the usage of 3 filters. However, it is also the most blur out too. This is expected as Filter C2 is the largest. Hence, we can conclude that noise is reduced with usage of larger masks. In the process, the sharpness of the image is also greatly reduced. The details of the image after using Filter C2 is greatly reduced and the edges cannot be defined as well as in previous images.

Exercise 2.3: Windowing and Leveling (Optional)

Before Windowing & Leveling

After Windowing & Leveling

Exercise 3 (Bonus)
A possible solution to automate the process can be described below in the general flowchart:

Filter image under low pass filters to remove the noise

Contrast the image and window the image to the physical range of the human vertebra

Filter image under high pass filters with a Laplacian operator to produce a stronger response to thin lines and fine details

An algorithm should be created to identify and pick out individual vertebral body and intervertebral disc via visible continuous lines

With the outlines of the vertebral body and disc identified, another algorithm is used to measure the width of these bodies while another algorithm picks out the discs height. Another algorithm could be used to locate points of the vertebral body and measure the angular deviations
.

Range of contrast is applied

High Pass Filter is applied