International Journal of Computer Information Systems,

Vol. 4, No.1, 2012

Edge extraction in Pathology Images of Esophageal
tumors assisted with FCM technique and using
Mathematical morphology operations on Binary
Images

Mohammad Hossein Bamneshin
Computer Eng. Department
Bu-Ali Sina University
Hamedan, Iran
m.bamneshin@basu.ac.ir
Abdolhamid Pilevar
Computer Eng. Department
Bu-Ali Sina University
Hamedan, Iran
pilevar@basu.ac.ir
Asghar Pirzadeh
Dept. of Hematology and Oncology
Ardabil Medical Science University
Ardabil, Iran
Asghar.pirzadeh@arums.ac.ir


Abstract Edge extraction in digital images is one of the first and
most important steps in image analysis and object recognition
specifically in medical image processing. In this paper, an edge
extraction system assisted by Fuzzy C-Means clustering (FCM)
using mathematical morphology operations on binary images is
presented. The input is a painted pathology image of esophageal
tumor and the output is a corresponding image where the edges
have been extracted. All steps are quantitatively included.
Initially, several preprocesses to select the suitable color
component to derive a correct gray-scale digital image on the
input painted image that is gotten from pathology libraries is
performed, and then FCM techniques is used to determine a
threshold value to convert the output image of the preprocess
level into binary digital image. Using morphology operators,
unnecessary components are removed from the image and finally
the outer edge of images is extracted. The output of this system
with the results of classic filters for edge extraction and number
of new methods of edge extraction are compared. The results
show that this technique as compared with other methods,
provided greater assistance in diagnosis the main edge and
reduced the noises from the side edges, that is one of vital target
in medical image analysis.
Keywords- edge extraction, pathology image, esophageal tumor,
Fuzzy clustering, threshold, image processing, FCM
I. INTRODUCTION
The diagnosis of benign versus malignant in pathological
tumor images is often difficult. In order to assist in
pathological diagnosis, we are attempting to extract edges of
images by an image processing technique in order to the size,
shape and features of the pathologic cell image components.
Hence, edge extraction is one of the first steps in image
analysis, and as the preprocessing step, is used in image
segmentation, object tracking and classification.
In image segmentation methods based on the edge extraction,
some points in edge are selected and then segmented areas are
reformed [14,15] that the success of these methods is
dependent to performance of used edge extractor.

Basic operators in digital image processing generally can be
classified into 4 groups: image histogram-based operators,
basic mathematics-based operators, morphology-based and
complexity-based operators [1]. Used Operators in this paper
are a combination of first, second and fourth groups of
operators and they are compared with classic edge extraction
methods that included in the second category. Edge extraction
in digital images is performed to detect pertinent details and
image edges. But it is opposite of noise reduction operation.
Edge extraction methods are generally placed in two
categories, based on the gradient and Laplacian. New
methods for edge extraction assisted by fuzzy logic [2,3],
neural networks [4,5,6] and methods of gray-scale
morphology [7] attempt to improve previous methods.

This paper proposes a new method based on mathematical
morphology operations and selecting a dynamic threshold.
Some useful processes are applied before and after the main
process of this article to help it to be more success. This
method involves three steps: in the first stage, from input color
image review of the color histograms, a gray-scale image of
one of the colors will be extracted. In the second stage,
according to the numeric values of the gray-scale image, and
assisted by FCM, a dynamic threshold to convert the image to
a binary image is determined. Finally in the third stage, using
morphology operators, removal of unnecessary components
from image and the final result of edge extraction is presented.
As previously mentioned, the results of edge extraction can be
the preprocess stage of analysis and recognition operation
[8.9], and hence is critically important. (Figure 1)

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International Journal of Computer Information Systems,
Vol. 4, No.1, 2012
In the sections 2 to 4 of this article, classical edge extraction
methods, edge extraction using type-1 fuzzy inference system
and morphology gray-scale method have been described.
Proposed method in this article and evaluation of its results
have been expressed in Section 5 and 6 and finally in Section
7 conclusions and future work are presented
.



Figure1: Edge Extraction as first step in Pattern Recognition
II. CLASSIC EDGE EXTRACTION METHODS
The objective of this paper is to show the edge detection
performance with inner features of image and select a dynamic
value for threshold while preserving the original morphology.
Classic methods, such as Prewitt and Sobel filters, are used to
calculate the gray-scale values in an image and illumination of
each pixel will be calculated with survey changes in each
direction, and are used in making decisions about edge pixels.
This edge extractor is defined by a pair complexity mask that
are in two axis x (horizontal) and y (vertical). These Matrixes
are shown in (1) and (2). Relations (3) and (4) show how
complexity mask works on an original image. I is the original
image, g
x
and g
y
are output gradients along the horizontal and
vertical and finally * shows complexity operator [10].

1 0 1 1 2 1
2 0 2 , 0 0 0
1 0 1 1 2 1
sobel sobel
x y

= =

( (
( (
( (

(1)

1 0 1 1 1 1
1 0 1 , 0 0 0
1 0 1 1 1 1
x y
prewitt prewitt

= =

( (
( (

(2)

3
3
, , 2, 2
1
1
g operator I
x
x i j r i c j
i
j
= -

+ +
=
=
(3)

3
3
, , 2, 2
1
1
g operator I
y
y i j r i c j
i
j
= -

+ +
=
=
(4)
These methods have some inherent problems. one major
problem is that they are sensitive to image noises and small
components that are recognized as edge and no one of them has
a global suitable answer in different types of pathology images.
In figure 2, Results of two methods by applying Sobel and
Prewitt filters on input images are shown.



Figure 2: from left and top, original image, its considered gray-scale image
and result images of Sobel and Prewitt filters


III. EDGE EXTRACTION WITH TYPE-1 FUZZY
INFERENCE SYSTEM
In the new methods of edge extraction, edge detection is
done based on fuzzy inference rules for the purpose of
maintaining edge continuity [2]. Other methods use neuro-
fuzzy operators used to extract edges in noisy images [11]. This
system, the Mamdani fuzzy inference system, has three inputs,
one output and six fuzzy rules implemented by the MATLAB
Fuzzy Toolbox [12]. The first two system inputs are the results
of a Sobel filter in two directions, x and y. The third input is
result of applying the mean lowpass filter on the original
image. The reason of using a mean filter is to reduce the effects
of probable noise in the input image. The results of the type-
1fuzzy inference systems in accurately extracting edges (both
original and sideway) significantly perform better than gradient
methods. Figure 3 shows extracted edges with three systems.
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Figure 3: Applied Fuzzy inference system to extract edges by helping MATLAB Fuzzy toolbox (where DV, DH, and Mean are results with the Sobel filter in
vertical and horizontal direction and mean filter).

IV. GRAY SCALE MORPHOLOGY METHOD
Edge detection of gray-scale images is a new method of
edge extraction. In these methods, weak edges are first removal
for the purpose of image enhancement. Then, by defining
edge intensity, edges are extracted. This action will causes
loss of edge continuity of strong tumor tissues. Mathematical
morphology method is a way to detect and use a structuring
element that is a binary matrix for its detection [7]. The results
of this method depend on the selection of the structuring
element and whether or not the shape of this element covers
image well. Thus elements are made considering tumor cell
features that can be usable for adjusting result to obtain image
texture information [16]. Figure 4 shows a number of
structuring elements.


Figure 4: four samples of structuring element (from top and left, linear
element with length 9 and the angle 0, linear element with length 3 and the
angle 45, Diamond element with radius of 3 and rectangular element with size
of [3,5] ).
A. Dilation and Erosion Operation
In morphology operations, erosion is an action that shrinks
the desired image according to the used structuring element;
dilation is used for expanding image again based on
structuring element. Simple and basic forms of these two
operator relations are used for binary images [14]. Weaknesses
in determining appropriate threshold for converting gray-scale
images into binary images and high dependency binary
morphology operations on the shape of structuring elements
are the two main reasons for inefficiency in binary
morphology in images with several continuous edges. Hence
gray-scale morphology operations methods were used instead
of binary methods. because in them, details of the image dont
remove also because of using gray-scale values instead of
zero-one values, reduce sensitivity to the structuring element.
This method compared with the same binary technique has
much better results [7]. Figure 5 shows results of gray-scale
morphology approach as compared to the binary method.



Figure 5: From left to right, results of binary method and the gray-scale
morphology method

V. PURPOSED METHOD
According to the results shown in Figure 2 and comparing
them with the final results of figure 3, it can be seen that the
edge extraction method with type-1 fuzzy inference system has
better results than each classic methods. Also in figure 5 we see
that the gray-scale morphology method is significantly superior
in maintaining edge continuity toward the binary morphology.
Thus type-1 of fuzzy method and gray-scale morphology give
superior results but have the problem of being unable to
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International Journal of Computer Information Systems,
Vol. 4, No.1, 2012
accurately divide an image into edge and non-edge regions. In
the proposed method has been tried that the output image has
all the requirements.
A. Preprocess of input images with color histogram
One of the original features of pathology images is wide
color distribution, for at least one color. Using histograms of
each color of the input images, the color green is chosen that
has more variance of gray-scale value. This can be observed in
Figure 6. To convert these objective operations to computing
operation, the difference between maximum and minimum
values can be used. Using this selection method in converting
input image to gray-scale image with maintaining maximum
features is efficient. Also the problem of depending on human
decision to select the desired gray-scale is removed.

B. Determining threshold with FCM
Fuzzy C-Mean Clustering (FCM) is one of tool for data
classification that is considered with partial membership.
Considering the numerical pixel values of the resulting image
of the previous step as input for FCM, also by defining two
clusters for the each input image pixels, FCM gives three
output values. The first one is the cluster center that pixel was
allocated to it, second and third are membership number of the
pixel in any of the clusters. According to the obtained values
for the centers of clusters in FCM, a threshold is earned with
(5) where c1 and c2 are the cluster centers and max
in
and min
in

are the highest and the lowest values of the gray-scale image
values. The resulting value is used for converting the gray-
scale image to a binary image. The advantage of using this
method in determining the threshold is being dynamic that
against different input images chooses suitable threshold. This
property removes the expert human dependency in
determining the threshold.

C. Postprocessing with morphological operations
The resulting binary image has several further components
related to other cellular components. They are ineffective in
extracting original edges. Considering this issue, by using
Opening operation on white components in black
background and black ones in white background, these
unnecessary components will be removed. Asking from
pathologist experts on the standard images, the size of these
components is in lower bound of 80 pixels. So, removal these
components is equal to using bwareaopen operation with
input parameter 80 in MATLAB 2008. In the last step, by
applying Erosion operation with square structuring element
with size 3 on resulting binary image, the outer edge of the
image as a type of inferable edges by morphology, will be
extracted. The individual steps of the operations in the
proposed method are shown in Figure 7.




Figure 6: In each row from left to right, input image and its corresponding
histogram for the red, green and blue.


VI. EVALUATION OF RESULTS
Figure 8 compares the results of the proposed method in this
paper with other basic methods and reviewed methods in last
sections. For this comparison, three color pathology images
have been used that are shown in the first row. In the next
rows, results of edge detection of input images using the
classic method of Sobel and Prewitt, type-1 fuzzy and gray-
scale morphology are shown, with the last row showing results
of the proposed method. Observing output of the various
methods, we concluded that our proposed method in making
correct diagnosis of the original edge and maintaining
continuity of edges has superiority over previous methods.
This method includes some other extra features. The first one
is having the binary output that is a very effective preprocess
in motility operation, counting and pattern recognition.
Another trait is calculating the threshold value and selecting
image color array as a dynamic operation that has no need for
expert review and expands the application for all simillar
images.
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Figure 7: flow of execution purposed method with output in each step


Figure 8: The three original images in the first row and second row to the sixth, results of Sobel, Prewitt, type-1fuzzy, gray-scale morphology and the proposed
method on images corresponding to the first row
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Vol. 4, No.1, 2012
VII. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORKS
In this paper a new method for edge extraction in color
pathology images of esophageal tumors helping FCM
techniques using mathematical morphology operation is
proposed. The results show that the proposed method
efficiently and effectively was more successful than the
classic, type-1 fuzzy inference systems and also gray-scale
morphology in assisting diagnosis on original edges and
maintaining their continuity. The final result has a little
dependence on the type of images and their quality and has
binary output that is superior over all previous methods. In the
future an attempt will be made to separate shared edges
between components and this procedure will be included in
our method.


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