Automatic registration of serial sections of mouse lymph node by using Image-Reg

The first step towards the three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of histological structures from serial sectioned tissue blocks is the proper alignment of microscope image sequences. We have accomplished an automatic rigid registration program, named Image-Reg, to align serial sections from mouse lymph node and Peyer's patch. Our approach is based on the calculation of the pixel-correlation of objects in adjacent images. The registration process is mainly divided into two steps. Once the foreground images have been segmented from the original images, the first step (primary alignment) is performed on the binary images of segmented objects; this process includes rotation by using the moments and translation through the X, Y axes by using the centroid. In the second step, the matching error of two binary images is calculated and the registration results are refined through multi-scale iterations. In order to test the registration performance, Image-Reg has been applied to an image and its transformed (rotated) version and subsequently to an image sequence of three serial sections of mouse lymph node. In addition, to compare our algorithm with other registration methods, three other approaches, viz. manual registration with Reconstruct, semi-automatic landmark registration with Image-Pro Plus and the automatic phase-correlation method with Image-Pro Plus, have also been applied to these three sections. The performance of our program has been also tested on other two-image data sets. These include: (a) two light microscopic images acquired by the automatic microscope (stitched with other software); (b) two images fluorescent images acquired by confocal microscopy (tiled with other software). Our proposed approach provides a fast and accurate linear alignment of serial image sequences for the 3D reconstruction of tissues and organs.     

基于角点的红外与可见光图像自动配准方法

针对红外图像与可见光图像的自动配准问题,提出了一种基于图像角点特征以及仿射变换模型的方法.利用Harris因子分别在红外图像和可见光图像上检测角点,并对两幅图像进行边缘检测,得到其边缘图像.通过角点邻域在边缘图像上的相关性,实现角点的粗匹配;通过角点的细匹配,从匹配的角点中选择两对匹配最佳的点作为仿射变换的控制点,得到仿射变换模型,并对待配准图像进行仿射变换,从而实现图像配准.实验结果表明:该方法运算速度快,可以很好地完成红外与可见光图像的自动配准.     

The registration of MR images using multiscale robust methods

Acquisition of MR images involves their registration against some prechosen reference image. Motion artifacts and misregistration can seriously flaw their interpretation and analysis. This article provides a global registration method that is robust in the presence of noise and local distortions between pairs of images. It uses a two-stage approach, comprising an optional Fourier phase-matching method to carry out preregistration, followed by an iterative procedure. The iterative stage uses a prescribed set of registration points, defined on the reference image, at which a robust nonlinear regression is computed from the squared residuals at these points. The method can readily accommodate general linear, or even nonlinear, registration transformations on the images. The algorithm was tested by recovering the registration transformation parameters when a 256 × 256 pixel T₂¹-weighted human brain image was scaled, rotated, and translated by prescribed amounts, and to which different amounts of Gaussian noise had been added. The results show subpixel accuracy of recovery when no noise is present, and graceful degradation of accuracy as noise is added. When 40% noise is added to images undergoing small shifts, the recovery errors are less than 3 pixels. The same tests applied to the Woods algorithm gave slightly inferior accuracy for these images, but failed to converge to the correct parameters in some cases of large-scale-shifted images with 10% added noise.     

多光谱CCD相机配准的图像校正

通过分析线阵CCD的成像过程,对多光谱CCD相机成像的彩色图像合成方式进行了研究,提出了一种处理方法。通过将各谱段CCD的每个像元信号分别扩展成一个二维像素数组后再进行彩色合成,尝试了利用后期处理的方式校正多光谱相机的配准偏差,改善了相机彩色合成图像的质量。结果表明,这种对CCD信号进行处理的合成方式为空间遥感相机的研制提供了一种技术手段,既能减小配准偏差的影响,同时又能够在不改变相机性能的情况下改善相机输出彩色图像的质量。     

远距离多源图像融合系统实时配准设计

为了实现全天候多波段远距离实时图像监控,设计了具有微光、红外和可见光融合的光学前端,对多源图像进行实时配准研究。在平行光轴的基础上,通过计算不同视场图像的成像视差,计算仿射变换需要的参数,采用双线性内插算法弥补红外在成像方面与可见光图像的差别,将红外图像的变换制作成查找表存储在图像处理器DM642中,系统通过硬件查找表可以快速实现不同图像的配准变换,实现同步视频的实时配准与融合。实验表明:该设计能够准确地实现多源图像的实时配准,系统经过图像配准、图像融合和伪彩变换处理后的时间约为24.3 ms,系统探测距离大于3 km。     

基于SIFT的电力设备红外与可见光图像的配准和融合-

提出了一种红外与可见光的配准和融合方法,该方法利用SIFT算法提取图像特征,并使用透视变换表示图像的变换关系,最后在HSI空间,对图像进行了加权融合。实验表明,该方法快速稳定、鲁棒性高。     

基于线性不变矩的特征图象配准算法研究

针对图象差异较大的光学图象与合成孔径雷达图象(SAR)的特点,设计了一种基于特征的图象配准的算法,包括特征提取、匹配、控制点选取、变换系数计算和误差计算等步骤.在特征提取中,对于雷达图象需要进行预处理并采用LOG提取图象轮廓.在匹配算法中,以线性不变矩作为特征量,对现有基于图象轮廓特征的匹配算法进行了改进.采用上海浦东地区的Radarsat-1S2模式图象与LandsatTM-5波段图象作为待配准图象.实验结果表明,该方法可以较好地完成光学图象与SAR图象的配准,有着较高的应用价值.     

扫频光学相干层析视网膜图像配准去噪算法

多帧叠加平均处理是去除扫频光学相干层析系统散斑噪声、获得较为清晰结构信息的有效方法,但眼睛的震颤、漂移、微眼跳等生理特性和系统光路特性会使图像之间存在错位,导致叠加效果不佳、结构稳定性差,为此本文提出一种基于灰度分布信息和目标几何信息相结合的配准算法。该方法根据图像平均灰度分布提取包含目标信息的感兴趣区域,通过相位相关算法和基于分段拟合的灰度投影算法的双重作用校正图像的平移变换;通过拟合视网膜上边界作为特征点迭代确定最佳旋转参数,并再次重新估计平移参数,实现图像的刚性配准;最后通过轴向扫描一对一映射法以能量函数为约束条件实现图像的非刚性配准。对活体兔眼进行实验,结果表明,本文算法配准后的叠加图像边界清晰,结构信息增强,信噪比和对比度平均有效提高一倍多。本算法适用于强噪声视网膜B-Scans图像的配准,能满足多种类型OCT系统的叠加成像需要,具有较高的鲁棒性和图像配准精度。     

Combining Sparse and Dense Features to Improve Multi-Modal Registration for Brain DTI Images

A new solution to overcome the constraints of multimodality medical intra-subject image registration is proposed, using the mutual information (MI) of image histogram-oriented gradients as a new matching criterion. We present a rigid, multi-modal image registration algorithm based on linear transformation and oriented gradients for the alignment of T2-weighted (T2w) images (as a fixed reference) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) (b-values of 500 and 1250 s/mm²) as floating images of three patients to compensate for the motion during the acquisition process. Diffusion MRI is very sensitive to motion, especially when the intensity and duration of the gradient pulses (characterized by the b-value) increases. The proposed method relies on the whole brain surface and addresses the variability of anatomical features into an image stack. The sparse features refer to corners detected using the Harris corner detector operator, while dense features use all image pixels through the image histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) as a measure of the degree of statistical dependence between a pair of registered images. HOG as a dense feature is focused on the structure and extracts the oriented gradient image in the x and y directions. MI is used as an objective function for the optimization process. The entropy functions and joint entropy function are determined using the HOGs data. To determine the best image transformation, the fiducial registration error (FRE) measure is used. We compare the results against the MI-based intensities results computed using a statistical intensity relationship between corresponding pixels in source and target images. Our approach, which is devoted to the whole brain, shows improved registration accuracy, robustness, and computational cost compared with the registration algorithms, which use anatomical features or regions of interest areas with specific neuroanatomy. Despite the supplementary HOG computation task, the computation time is comparable for MI-based intensities and MI-based HOG methods.     

一种从粗到精的红外和可见光卫星图像配准方法

气象卫星所携带的多种传感器可以获得可见光、红外、多光谱等多模态的卫星图像,目前处理这些多模态图像的一个重要手段是数据融合分析方法,而获取不同模态图像空间对应关系的图像配准是数据融合分析的前提和基础。针对多模态气象卫星图像的配准问题,重点研究红外图像和可见光图像的配准问题,并根据红外图像和可见光图像的特点,提出了一种由粗到精的两阶段配准方法。在粗配准阶段,将Fourier-Mellin变换应用于红外和可见光图像的边缘图像上,并通过变换图像在频域的关系实现了图像配准仿射变换参数的快速计算;在精配准阶段,基于图像的Harris算子检测红外图像和可见光图像的特征点,并通过特征点局部区域的互相关函数实现特征点的匹配,最终通过匹配特征点求得精确配准的变换参数。文章提出的由粗到精的图像配准方法,有效结合了Fourier-Mellin变换对边缘图像配准的高效性和Harris算子图像配准的准确性,是红外和可见光图像配准的一种新方法。利用FY-2D气象卫星获取的红外和可见光图像进行了配准实验,实验结果表明所提出的方法具有良好的鲁棒性和较高的配准精度。     

基于热红外图像处理技术的农作物冠层识别方法研究

为解决农作物冠层热红外图像边缘灰度级分布不均且噪声较大,而传统图像分割方法难以实现其目标区域有效识别的难题,以苗期红小豆冠层热红外图像为研究对象,将模糊神经网络和仿射变换有机结合,提出了基于热红外图像处理技术的农作物冠层识别模型。首先利用五层线性归一化模糊神经网络的自适应特性,选取高斯隶属度函数,自动计算冠层可见光图像识别的推理规则,有效地分割了可见光图像中的冠层区域。通过分析3种分割指标和熵,定量评价可见光图像冠层分割质量。网络迭代38次时,误差精度为0.000 952,该算法平均有效识别率为96.13%,获取可见光冠层图像的像元信息熵值范围为2.454 4~5.198 7,与标准算法所得冠层图像的像元信息熵仅相差0.245 9。然后以取得可见光图像的冠层有效区域为参考图像,采用仿射变换算法,调整优选平移、旋转、缩放等图像变换因子,配准原始热红外图像,提出了基于仿射变换的冠层热红外图像识别方法。对于初始温度范围值在16.35~19.92 ℃的农作物热红外图像,计算选取旋转幅度为1.0和缩放因子为0.9时,作为异源图像的最优配准参数,获取目标图像的最大温差为3.17 ℃,相对于原图像的平均温度值由18.711 ℃下降至17.790 ℃,进而实现了基于热红外图像处理技术的农作物冠层识别。最后以熵的互信息作为监督指标,对农作物冠层热红外图像识别方法进行评价。提出的冠层热红外图像识别方法,所获取的目标图像与初始热红外图像的平均互信息为4.368 7,标准目标图像和初始热红外图像的平均互信息为3.981 8,二者仅相差0.486 9。同时,两种冠层热红外图像的平均温度差值为0.25 ℃,高效消除了原始热红外图像的背景噪声。结果表明本研究方法的有效性和实用性,能够为应用热红外图像反映农作物生理生态信息特征指标参数提供技术借鉴。     

Kalman filter based initial guess estimation for digital image correlation

In applications digital image correlation based algorithms often present a basis for analysis of movement/deformation of bodies. The sequence of the obtained images is analyzed for this purpose. Especially, in cases when the body׳s movement/deformation between two successive images is significant, the initial guess can have a major influence on the execution speed of the algorithm. In the worst case it can even cause the divergence of the algorithm. This was the inspiration to develop a new and unique approach for an accurate and reliable determination of an initial guess for each image pixel. Kalman filter has been used for this purpose. It uses past measurements of observed variable(s) for calculations. Beside that it also incorporates state space model of the actual system. This is one of the most important advantages provided by Kalman filter. The determined initial guess by the proposed method is actually close to the true one and it enables fast convergence. Even more important property of this approach is the fact that it is not path-dependant because each image pixel, which is defined in ROI, is tracked through the sequence of images based on its own past measurements and general state space model. Consequently, the proposed method can be used to analyze tasks where discontinuities between image pixels are present. The applied method can be used to predict an initial guess where reference and deformed subsets are related by translational and rotational motion. The advantages mentioned above are verified with numerical and real experiments. The experimental validations are performed by NR (Newton–Raphson) approach which is the most widely used. Beside NR method the presented algorithm is applicable for other registration methods as well. It is used as an addition for calculation of initial guesses in a sequence of deformed images.     

基于特征点自动匹配的红外图像配准研究

在模糊和含噪声的红外图像配准中,利用角点检测实现特征点的选择,在提高角点提取效率的同时又保证了角点提取的精度。根据互相关的双向匹配实现对应特征点的自动匹配,然后由对应的特征点对估计出仿射变换的参数。实测的数据和计算结果表明,这种方法对于双波段红外图像的配准是有效的,而且有利于后续的图像融合。     

基于CSIFT的彩色图像配准技术研究

图像配准在计算机视觉、遥感、医学诊断与治疗、环境监测等领域有广泛的研究应用.目前,多数算法是将彩色图像转化为灰度图后再配准,色彩信息的丢失可能会引起误配准.为此,提出一种基于CSIFT(Colored scale invariant feature transform)的彩色图像配准方法,求出彩色图像各个位置处的颜色不变最,以颜色不变量作为输入图像,再提取特征点并描述特征点周围的信息,通过最近邻匹配法求出图像问的匹配对,最后利用匹配的特征求取图像间的变换参数及配准后图像.实验结果表明,对彩色图像进行已知参数值变换时,该算法能得到精度高、误差小的计算结果;对变换关系末知的彩色图像,也能准确地求出图像间的映射关系;且多数情况下运行速度较SIFT(Scale invariant feature transform)快.     

基于Shape Context和尺度不变特征变换的多模图像自动配准方法

提出了基于修正的尺度不变特征变换（SIFT）特征提取和Shape Context特征描述算子相结合的多模图像自动配准算法,该算法利用修正的SIFT算法提取多模图像中的特征点,然后采用Shape Context算子描述特征点,利用特征点周围区域边缘点的梯度方向形成特征向量。采用欧氏距离作为匹配标准对多模图像中特征点进行初始匹配,然后通过RANSAC算法消除误匹配的特征点对,并采用最小二乘法计算仿射变换参数,最后通过仿射变换和双线性插值实现图像配准。对红外图像和可见光图像的配准实验结果表明了本算法的有效性和稳定性。     

Study of mutual information multimodality medical image registration based on modified simplex optimization method

Because of a different imaging mechanism and highly complexity of body tissues and structures. Different modality medical images provide non-overlay complementary information. This has very important significance for multimodal medical image registration. Image registration is the first and key part of problem to be solved in the integrations. When the spatial position of two medical images is same, the registration could be achieved. For two CT and PET images, the principal axis method is adopted to achieve the rough registration. The modified simplex algorithm is employed to implement global search using the mutual information as similarity measure. The initial registration parameters are achieved through principal axis Based on the results of test, improved simplex method can adjust reflecting distance. Stepped-up optimization algorithm on the new experimental points through the methods of “reflection”, “enlargement”, “shrinkage” or “global systolic”. A mutual information registration based on modified simplex optimization method is presented in this paper to improve the speed of medical image registration.Results indicate that the proposed registration method prevents the optimizing process from falling into local extremum and improves the convergence speed while keeping the precision. The accurate registration of multimodal image with different resolutions is achieved.     

Characterizing changes in MR images with color-coded Jacobians

Image registration is the process of establishing spatial correspondence between two images or between two image volumes. Registration can be achieved by rigid, elastic, or a combination of rigid and elastic transforms that attempt to bring the two images into coincidence. A rigid transform accounts for differences in positioning and an elastic transform describes deformations due to differences in tissue properties, temporal changes due to growth or atrophy, or differences between individuals. Deformation-based morphometry uses the resulting deformation fields from these transforms to evaluate differences between the images being registered. Three methods of registration were evaluated: rigid (affine) transformation, elastic optical flow transformation, and elastic spline transformation. All three methods produce vector deformation fields that map each point in one image to a point in the other image. A 12-color map of the transformation Jacobian was used to represent local volume changes. Using the three registration methods, color-mapped Jacobians were determined using a simulated three-dimensional block with known translation, rotation, expansion, contraction, and intensity modulations. Color-coded Jacobians were also generated for experimentally measured magnetic resonance image volumes of water-filled balloons and 7-year-old twin boys. Color-coded Jacobians overlaid on anatomical images provide a convenient method to identify regional tissue expansion and contraction.     

Aperture synthesis based solely on phase images in digital holography

Aperture synthesis is an important approach to improve the lateral resolution of digital holography(DH) techniques. The limitation of the accuracy of registration positions between sub-holograms affects the quality of the synthesized image and even causes the failure of aperture synthesis. It is a major issue in aperture synthesis of DH. Currently intensity images are utilized to find the registration positions of sub-holograms in aperture synthesis. To improve the accuracy of registration positions, we proposed a method based on similarity calculations of the phase images between sub-holograms instead of intensity images. Furthermore, a quantitative indicator, degree of image distortion, was applied to evaluate the synthetic results. Experiments are performed and the results verify that the proposed phase-image-based method is better than the state-of-the-art intensity-image-based techniques in the estimation of registration positions and provides a better synthesized final three-dimensional shape image.     

Super-resolution reconstruction face recognition based on multi-level FFD registration

Super-resolution (SR) reconstruction is an effective method to solve the problem, that the face image resolution is too low to be recognized in video, but the non-rigid change of deformed face and expression changes greatly affect the accuracy of registration and reconstruction. To solve these problems, a method of multi-level model free form deformation (FFD) elastic registration algorithm based on B spline is proposed. It first use low-resolution FFD grid for global registration, to emphasize the contribution of edge information for registration, we introduce edge registration measure into the sum of squared difference (SSD) criterion. Then divide the global registration image and reference image into a series of corresponding sub-image pairs and calculate the correlation coefficient of each pair; at the same time, we do local registration with high-resolution FFD grid to the small value correlation coefficient sub-image pairs. In the registration process of optimization, the paper uses adaptive step length gradient descent method algorithm based on chaotic variables to improve optimization efficiency. After registration, the algorithm of project onto convex sets (POCS) is used to reconstruct SR face image through several low resolution image sequences, and then recognized these SR face images by support vector machines (SVM) classifier. Experimental results from standard video database and self-built video database show that this method can register and reconstruct face image accurately in the condition of great face deformation and expression change, while the face recognition accuracy is also improved.