University of South Florida

Wei Qian

Laurence P Clarke

Maria Kallergi

Lihua Li

Tatyana A Zhukov

Dansheng Song

Fei Mao

The present invention is a computer-aided pathological diagnosis method for the classification of cancer cells in a tissue specimen based on a digital cellular image of the tissue specimen. The method of the present invention includes the steps of, extracting the histological characteristic features of the cellular image using preprocessing algorithms having adaptive strategies to enhance the cellular image, declustering the extracted histological characteristic features of the cellular image to isolate the individual cells and the nuclei inside the cells, segmenting the declustered cellular image, labeling the segmented cellular image and classifying the cells in the labeled cellular image as cancer cells or non-cancer cells.

Computer-aided pathological diagnosis system

A computer-assisted diagnostic (CAD) method and apparatus are described for the enhancement, detection, and classification of suspicious regions in digital x-ray images, with particular emphasis on lung nodule detection using chest x-ray images. An objective is to improve the sensitivity and specificity of detection of suspicious areas such as nodules, while maintaining a low false positive detection rate. A modular CAD technique has been developed to be potentially automatic and to be used as a second-opinion method for lung nodule detection. The method consists of using a plurality of CAD modules to preprocess and enhance image features, including image preprocessing, selective enhancement, segmentation, and feature extraction using a multiresolution/multiorientation wavelet transform and a computationally efficient filter, a 1.5 D circular pattern filter.

Computer-assisted method and apparatus for the detection of lung nodules

A computer-assisted diagnostic (CAD) method and apparatus are described for the enhancement and detection of suspicious regions in digital X-ray images, with particular emphasis on early cancer detection using digital mammography. An objective is to improve the sensitivity of detection of suspicious areas such as masses, while maintaining a low false positive detection rate, and to classify masses as benign or malignant. A modular CAD technique has been developed as a potentially automatic and/or second-opinion method for mass detection and classification in digital mammography that may in turn be readily modified for application with different digital X-ray detectors with varying gray-scale and resolution characteristics. The method consists of using a plurality of CAD modules to preprocess and enhance image features in the gray-level, the directional texture, and the morphological domains.

Computer-assisted method and apparatus for displaying x-ray images

A hybrid filter architecture and an artificial neural network is proposed for image enhancement and detection of suspicious areas in digital x-ray images that is operator, image, and digital x-ray sensor independent. The hybrid filter architecture includes an Adaptive Multistage Nonlinear Filter (AMNF) cascaded with an M-channel Tree Structured Wavelet Transform (TSWT). The AMNF shares the advantages of an array of linear and nonlinear filters and is adaptively supervised using either an order statistic or linear operator. The filter is used for noise suppression and image enhancement and adapts to the noise characteristics of the sensor. The TSWT is used for multiresolution image decomposition and reconstruction of subimages for further image enhancement of diagnostic features of interest. A Multistage Artificial Neural Network (MANN) is proposed, together with Kalman Filtering for network training, for both improved detection or classification of suspicious areas and computational efficiency to allow the MANN to be applied to full digital images without operator input. The hybrid filter architecture and MANN may be applied to any gray scale image in medical imaging. The specific application of the proposed method includes: (a) improved enhancement or detection of suspicious areas as a 'second opinion' strategy using a computer workstation or (b) mass screening of large image databases such as that used for medical screening programs.

Image analyzing device using adaptive criteria

Computer-assisted method and apparatus for analysis of x-ray images

A wavelet based neural network (WNN) is proposed for image restoration using a nuclear gamma camera. The WNN first segments the image noise from the detected signal using a wavelet or multi-resolution method and then restores the detector resolution using the neural network. An example of methods is described for detecting beta particles (bremsstrahlung radiation) but the proposed WNN can be applied to either the detection of positrons or gamma rays using the gamma camera.

Growing community of inventors

Wesley Chapel, FL, United States of America

Wei Qian