Estimating myocardial motion by 4D image warping

A method for spatio-temporally smooth and consistent estimation of cardiac motion from MR cine sequences is proposed. Myocardial motion is estimated within a four-dimensional (4D) registration framework, in which all three-dimensional (3D) images obtained at different cardiac phases are simultaneously registered. This facilitates spatio-temporally consistent estimation of motion as opposed to other registration-based algorithms which estimate the motion by sequentially registering one frame to another. To facilitate image matching, an attribute vector (AV) is constructed for each point in the image, and is intended to serve as a “morphological signature” of that point. The AV includes intensity, boundary, and geometric moment invariants (GMIs). Hierarchical registration of two image sequences is achieved by using the most distinctive points for initial registration of two sequences and gradually adding less-distinctive points to refine the registration. Experimental results on real data demonstrate good performance of the proposed method for cardiac image registration and motion estimation. The motion estimation is validated via comparisons with motion estimates obtained from MR images with myocardial tagging.     

Fast image registration by hierarchical soft correspondence detection

A new approach, based on the hierarchical soft correspondence detection, has been presented for significantly improving the speed of our previous HAMMER image registration algorithm. Currently, HAMMER takes a relative long time, e.g., up to 80 min, to register two regular sized images using Linux machine (with 2.40 GHz CPU and 2-Gbyte memory). This is because the results of correspondence detection, used to guide the image warping, can be ambiguous in complex structures and thus the image warping has to be conservative and accordingly takes long time to complete. In this paper, a hierarchical soft correspondence detection technique has been employed to detect correspondences more robustly, thereby allowing the image warping to be completed straightforwardly and fast. By incorporating this hierarchical soft correspondence detection technique into the HAMMER registration framework, both the robustness and the accuracy of registration (in terms of low average registration error) can be achieved. Experimental results on real and simulated data show that the new registration algorithm, based on the hierarchical soft correspondence detection, can run nine times faster than HAMMER while keeping the similar registration accuracy.     

基于霍特林变换的三维医学图像快速配准算法

提出了一种新的基于霍特林变换的三维医学图像快速配准算法,这是将数据压缩技术用于图像配准的一种创新性尝试。传统的基于灰度的方法需要考虑整个三维数据的灰度信息,计算复杂度大,无法满足临床需要。论文将Otus算法与互信息量技术相结合提出了一种新的图像分割算法,用于提取待配准物体,从而得到物体的向量表示;然后通过霍特林变换的平移和旋转性质完成配准。实验结果表明此方法能准确,快速地处理图像刚性配准问题,特别适用于三维医学图像的配准。     

面向全景拼接的图像配准技术研究及应用

针对SIFT算法在生成特征向量和进行特征匹配过程中存在的计算量较大、容易产生误匹配等不足,提出一种优化的SIFT配准算法。优化算法首先引入拉普拉斯算子对图像边缘进行锐化处理,结合图像单元信息投影熵原理提取分块图像特征;再依据投影熵矢量欧氏距离最小揣度进行特征匹配;最后利用改进的随机抽样一致性算法删除误匹配。改进算法应用于全景图像拼接中。实验表明,与原始SIFT配准算法相比,优化算法能够有效提高算法效率,减少错误匹配,取得了较好的匹配效果。     

Hierarchical generalized Hough transforms and line-segment based generalized Hough transforms

Generalized Hough transforms are fast point pattern matching algorithms which have applications in image processing. Two extensions to generalized Hough transforms are described. The first allows for matching hierarchically organized point patterns. An example concerning image registration using hierarchical point patterns is described. The second extension concerns matching patterns of simple geometric objects, such as line segments, rather than patterns of points.     

牙周膜胶原纤维组织切片的显微图像配准

针对牙周膜胶原纤维组织切片在制作过程中对力度和方向非常敏感,极易造成组织变形和空间位移的问题,采用了一种有效的图像配准方法,以便后期对胶原纤维组织空间结构的重建。在Masson染色制成的兔牙周膜石蜡切片的基础上,利用高倍光学显微镜获得了牙周膜的序列切片图像;再采用基于正规步长梯度下降的二维刚性配准和基于对数域对称Demons微分同胚非刚性配准相结合的方法,对牙周膜序列切片图像进行级联配准。实验结果表明,相对于有限元非刚性配准而言,对数域对称Demons微分同胚非刚性配准方法具有较好的优势,其配准每张图片的平均时间为有限元法的3.1%,而配准均方误差平均为有限元法的89%。     

基于Radon变换与功率谱结合的心脏MR图像配准算法

针对心脏磁共振(MR)序列切片图像,设计了一种基于Radon变换和功率谱结合的图像配准算法。首先采用形态学边缘检测等图像预处理技术,提取出图像的边缘特征,并将其作为后续配准的输入;而后利用Radon变换和功率谱相结合的配准方法依次求出待配准图像的缩放、旋转和平移参数,利用这3个配准参数,即可通过配准变换得到配准结果。该方法解决了单纯利用Radon变换求解旋转参数易受图像空域噪声影响的问题,提高了配准的精度,同时大大减少了计算的花费。对100幅MR序列切片图像进行配准的实验表明,该方法能够稳定准确地实现MR序列图像的配准。     

The thin plate spline robust point matching (TPS-RPM) algorithm: A revisit

This paper reviews the TPS-RPM algorithm (Chui and Rangarajan, 2003) for robustly registering two sets of points and demonstrates from a theoretical point of view its inherent limited performance when outliers are present in both point sets simultaneously. A double-sided outlier handling approach is proposed to overcome this limitation with a rigorous mathematical proof as the underlying theoretical support. This double-sided outlier handling approach is proved to be equivalent to the original formulation of the point matching problem. For a practical application, we also extend the TPS-RPM algorithms to non-rigid image registration by registering two sets of sparse features extracted from images. The intensity information of the extracted features are incorporated into feature matching in order to reduce the impact from outliers. Our experiments demonstrate the double-sided outlier handling approach and the efficiency of intensity information in assisting outlier detection.     

Fully automatic 3D feature-based registration of multi-modality medical images

In this paper, we present an automated multi-modality registration algorithm based on hierarchical feature extraction. The approach, which has not been used previously, can be divided into two distinct stages: feature extraction (edge detection, surface extraction), and geometric matching. Two kinds of corresponding features — edge and surface — are extracted hierarchically from various image modalities. The registration then is performed using least-squares matching of the automatically extracted features. Both the robustness and accuracy of feature extraction and geometric matching steps are evaluated using simulated and patient images. The preliminary results show the error is on the average of one voxel. We have shown the proposed 3D registration algorithm provides a simple and fast method for automatic registering of MR-to-CT and MR-to-PET image modalities. Our results are comparable to other techniques and require no user interaction.     

Iconic feature based nonrigid registration: the PASHA algorithm

In this paper, we first propose a new subdivision of the image information axis used for the classification of nonrigid registration algorithms. Namely, we introduce the notion of iconic feature based (IFB) algorithms, which lie between geometrical and standard intensity based algorithms for they use both an intensity similarity measure and a geometrical distance. Then we present a new registration energy for IFB registration that generalizes some of the existing techniques. We compare our algorithm with other registration approaches, and show the advantages of this energy. Besides, we also present a fast technique for the computation of local statistics between images, which turns out to be useful on pairs of images having a complex, nonstationary relationship between their intensities, as well as an hybrid regularization scheme mixing elastic and fluid components. The potential of the algorithm is finally demonstrated on a clinical application, namely deep brain stimulation of a Parkinsonian patient. Registration of pre- and immediate postoperative MR images allow to quantify the range of the deformation due to pneumocephalus over the entire brain, thus yielding to measurement of the deformation around the preoperatively computed stereotactic targets.     

基于相位一致特征的CBERS-02B遥感图像自动配准

以CBERS-02B卫星HR高分辨率和CCD多光谱遥感图像数据为基础,针对基于特征的自动配准方法中的特征检测与特征匹配两个关键步骤,通过引入性能优良的相位一致特征检测方法和特征相似与空间关系相结合的特征匹配策略,实现了一种基于相位一致特征的遥感图像高精度自动配准方法。实验结果表明,该方法对遥感图像亮度和对比度具有不变性,能稳定可靠提取HR高分辨率和CCD多光谱遥感图像显著的点特征,精确匹配相位一致特征点,实现了CBERS-02B卫星不同谱段,不同传感器和不同时相遥感图像间高精度自动配准,所进行实验的自动配准精度均到达了优于0.3 像元的系统配准精度。因此,该自动配准方法适合应用于有高配准精度要求的遥感图像间自动配准。     

基于视觉特征的多传感器图像配准

多传感器图像配准在空间图像处理中有非常重要的应用价值,但同时也面临着多源空间数据各异性困难。考虑到图像配准过程中的多分辨率视觉特征,采用基于小波的多分辨率图像分解来指导从粗到细的配准过程,利用扩展的轮廓跟踪算法提取满足视觉特征的轮廓,在轮廓链码曲率函数的基础上实现基于傅里叶变换的多分辨率形状特征匹配。与已有的基于特征的图像配准算法进行实验比较,实验结果表明该方法对于从多传感器得到的异质图像具有良好的配准效果。     

Phase Correlation Based Iris Image Registration Model

Iris recognition is one of the most reliable personal identification methods. In iris recognition systems, image registration is an important component. Accurately registering iris images leads to higher recognition rate for an iris recognition system. This paper proposes a phase correlation based method for iris image registration with sub-pixel accuracy. Compared with existing methods, it is insensitive to image intensity and can compensate to a certain extent the non-linear iris deformation caused by pupil movement. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has an encouraging performance.     

基于改进的SIFT算法的红外图像配准

电路板红外图像具有分辨率低、对比度低、信噪比低、视觉效果模糊的特点,目前的图像配准算法用于电路板红外图像配准时,运算时间长且匹配准确度低.针对电路板红外图像的特点,梳理了图像配准方面的国内外研究现状,分析了SIFT算法的基本原理,对原有的SIFT算法进行了修改.对特征点的提取方式进行了改进,减少了不必要的特征点;改进了特征点的描述符,降低了特征向量的维数;在特征点匹配的时候加入了分层阈值.对改进的算法进行了一系列的测试,针对三对电路板的红外图像进行配准,实验结果表明,相比于传统的SIFT算法,改进的SIFT算法在进行电路板红外图像配准的时候,匹配的准确率和运算时间得到了很大的提升,为电路板红外图像的配准提供了新的方法.     

A topology preserving non-rigid registration algorithm with integration shape knowledge to segment brain subcortical structures from MRI images

A new non-rigid registration method combining image intensity and a priori shape knowledge of the objects in the image is proposed. This method, based on optical flow theory, uses a topology correction strategy to prevent topological changes of the deformed objects and the a priori shape knowledge to keep the object shapes during the deformation process. Advantages of the method over classical intensity based non-rigid registration are that it can improve the registration precision with the a priori knowledge and allows to segment objects at the same time, especially efficient in the case of segmenting adjacent objects having similar intensities. The proposed algorithm is applied to segment brain subcortical structures from 15 real brain MRI images and evaluated by comparing with ground truths. The obtained results show the efficiency and robustness of our method.     

基于兴趣边缘优化的壁画影像与激光扫描数据非刚性配准

将壁画影像与激光扫描数据配准,并进行定位和纠正在壁画的数字化保护中有非常重要的意义.本文以激光扫描数据强度信息为中介,提出了一种基于兴趣边缘优化的壁画影像与激光扫描数据的非刚性配准方法:由激光扫描数据生成强度影像,以壁画彩色影像的兴趣边缘和强度影像的梯度场作为配准基元,在影像刚性配准基础上,对每条兴趣边缘进行优化配准,然后以优化后边缘的特征点为控制点,构造影像之间的非刚性变换模型,完成壁画影像与激光扫描数据的配准.实验结果表明本方法在不同数据中都能获得较高的配准精度.     

自适应特征点检测的可见-红外图像配准

目的 针对可见—红外图像之间配准点的数量不足、分布严重不均匀以及配准点之间的错配率高这3个核心问题,提出一种基于自适应特征点检测的可见—红外图像配准方法。方法 本文提出的自适应特征点检测方法,以Harris corner作为基本特征点;以特征点数目与空间分布为检测目标,从而自动地估计合适不同空间位置的特征点的检测阈值。在特征点对匹配中,将梯度方向与互信息相融合有效地添加了相似性函数的空间位置信息。结果 自适应Harris corner检测方法能够有效地提供空间分布均匀、数量充足的特征点。而梯度方向与互信息相融合的相似性匹配函数提高特征点的匹配率20%,降低配准误差50%。结论 本文提出的多传感器图像配准方法能够快速、准确地实现可见光图像与红外图像之间的配准,在CCD-IR图像融合领域具有很好的实用价值。     

Fast deformable matching of 3D images over multiscale nested subspaces. Application to atlas-based MRI segmentation

This paper presents a fast method to perform dense deformable matching of 3D images, applied to the registration of inter-subject brain MR images. To recover the complex morphological variations in neuroanatomy, the registration method uses a hierarchy of 3D deformations fields that are estimated, by minimizing a global energy function over a sequence of nested subspaces. The resulting deformable matching method shows low sensitivity to local minima and is able to track large non-linear deformations, with moderate computational load. The performances of the approach are assessed both on simulated 3D transformations and on a real data base of 3D brain MR images from different individuals. An application of the deformable image matching method to 3D atlas-based image segmentation is presented. This atlas-based segmentation is used at Strasbourg Hospital, in daily clinical applications, in order to extract regions of interest from 3D MR images of patients suffering from epilepsy.     

结合SURF描述符和广义近邻图的图像配准算法

针对传统互信息配准方法计算量较大且未利用图像空间信息的缺点,提出了一种结合SURF描述符和广义近邻图的图像配准算法。该算法用SURF从图像中提取尺度空间特征点并获得特征点描述子,然后用广义近邻图来估计Rényi熵与互信息。该算法结合了SURF描述子的鲁棒性和广义近邻图估计Rényi熵的高效性。实验结果表明,对于真实遥感图像,该算法在配准准确度、鲁棒性和速度上都明显优于几种传统配准方法。     

Adaptive registration of magnetic resonance images based on a viscous fluid model

This paper develops a new viscous fluid registration algorithm that makes use of a closed incompressible viscous fluid model associated with mutual information. In our approach, we treat the image pixels as the fluid elements of a viscous fluid governed by the nonlinear Navier–Stokes partial differential equation (PDE) that varies in both temporal and spatial domains. We replace the pressure term with an image-based body force to guide the transformation that is weighted by the mutual information between the template and reference images. A computationally efficient algorithm with staggered grids is introduced to obtain stable solutions of this modified PDE for transformation. The registration process of updating the body force, the velocity and deformation fields is repeated until the mutual information reaches a prescribed threshold. We have evaluated this new algorithm in a number of synthetic and medical images. As consistent with the theory of the viscous fluid model, we found that our method faithfully transformed the template images into the reference images based on the intensity flow. Experimental results indicated that the proposed scheme achieved stable registrations and accurate transformations, which is of potential in large-scale medical image deformation applications.