Block-Coordinate Gauss–Newton Optimization and Constrained Monotone Regression for Image Registration in the Presence of Outlier Objects

In this paper, we propose the block-coordinate Gauss-Newton/regression method in order to conduct a correlation-based registration considering the intensity difference between images in the presence of outlier objects. In the proposed method, the parameters are decomposed into two blocks, one of which is for the spatial registration and the other for the intensity compensation. The two blocks are sequentially updated by the Gauss-Newton update and the polynomial regression, respectively. Because of the separated blocks, we can perform a joint optimization with low computational complexity and high implementation flexibility. For example, we apply separately appropriate scaling techniques to the parameter blocks for a stable and fast convergence of the algorithm. Furthermore, we apply the constrained monotone regression with a robust outlier detection scheme for the intensity compensation block. From numerical results, it is shown that the proposed algorithm more effectively performs a correlation-based registration considering the intensity difference alleviating the influence of the outlier objects compared to the traditional registration algorithms that perform the joint optimization.     

电子倍增CCD噪声参数的估计方法

为定量评价电子倍增CCD(EMCCD)图像噪声的大小,实现对EMCCD 图像噪声参数的准确估计,研究了EMCCD 的噪声分布模型及其参数估计方法。首先,讨论了EMCCD 图像的噪声来源及其统计特性,由此建立了适于EMCCD 的噪声分布模型。然后,提出了两种EMCCD 噪声参数估计方法矩估计法和高斯-牛顿法,采用Monte Carlo 仿真验证其性能。仿真结果表明,矩估计法和高斯-牛顿法的平均相对误差和相对标准偏差均为10-2 量级,估计精度较高,且高斯-牛顿法的估计精度要高于矩估计法。采集一系列无增益时积分时间为50 s的暗场图片和增益为50 的本底图片,利用矩估计法和高斯-牛顿法分别估计出EMCCD 的暗电流噪声、时钟感生电荷噪声和读出噪声,实验结果表明,估计值与EMCCD 指标值一致,证明矩估计法和高斯-牛顿法能有效估计噪声参数且具有较高的精度。     

Nonlinear Microwave Imaging for Breast-Cancer Screening Using Gauss–Newton's Method and the CGLS Inversion Algorithm

Breast-cancer screening using microwave imaging is emerging as a new promising technique as a supplement to X-ray mammography. To create tomographic images from microwave measurements, it is necessary to solve a nonlinear inversion problem, for which an algorithm based on the iterative Gauss-Newton method has been developed at Dartmouth College. This algorithm determines the update values at each iteration by solving the set of normal equations of the problem using the Tikhonov algorithm. In this paper, a new algorithm for determining the iteration update values in the Gauss-Newton algorithm is presented which is based on the conjugate gradient least squares (CGLS) algorithm. The iterative CGLS algorithm is capable of solving the update problem by operating on just the Jacobian and the regularizing effects of the algorithm can easily be controlled by adjusting the number of iterations. The new algorithm is compared to the Gauss-Newton algorithm with Tikhonov regularization and is shown to reconstruct images of similar quality using fewer iterations.     

Noninvasive myocardial activation time imaging: a novel inverse algorithm applied to clinical ECG mapping data

Linear approaches like the minimum-norm least-square algorithm show insufficient performance when it comes to estimating the activation time map on the surface of the heart from electrocardiographic (ECG) mapping data. Additional regularization has to be considered leading to a nonlinear problem formulation. The Gauss-Newton approach is one of the standard mathematical tools capable of solving this kind of problem. To our experience, this algorithm has specific drawbacks which are caused by the applied regularization procedure. In particular, under clinical conditions the amount of regularization cannot be determined clearly. For this reason, we have developed an iterative algorithm solving this nonlinear problem by a sequence of regularized linear problems. At each step of iteration, an individual L-curve is computed. Subsequent iteration steps are performed with the individual optimal regularization parameter. This novel approach is compared with the standard Gauss-Newton approach. Both methods are applied to simulated ECG mapping data as well as to single beat sinus rhythm data from two patients recorded in the catheter laboratory. The proposed approach shows excellent numerical and computational performance, even under clinical conditions at which the Gauss-Newton approach begins to break down.     

Accurate template-based correction of brain MRI intensity distortion with application to dementia and aging

This paper examines an alternative approach to separating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) intensity inhomogeneity from underlying tissue-intensity structure using a direct template-based paradigm. This permits the explicit spatial modeling of subtle intensity variations present in normal anatomy which may confound common retrospective correction techniques using criteria derived from a global intensity model. A fine-scale entropy driven spatial normalisation procedure is employed to map intensity distorted MR images to a tissue reference template. This allows a direct estimation of the relative bias field between template and subject MR images, from the ratio of their low-pass filtered intensity values. A tissue template for an aging individual is constructed and used to correct distortion in a set of data acquired as part of a study on dementia. A careful validation based on manual segmentation and correction of nine datasets with a range of anatomies and distortion levels is carried out. This reveals a consistent improvement in the removal of global intensity variation in terms of the agreement with a global manual bias estimate, and in the reduction in the coefficient of intensity variation in manually delineated regions of white matter.     

Block-coordinate Gauss-Newton optimization and constrained monotone regression for image registration in the presence of outlier objects.

In this paper, we propose the block-coordinate Gauss- Newton/regression method in order to conduct a correlation-based registration considering the intensity difference between images in the presence of outlier objects. In the proposed method, the parameters are decomposed into two blocks, one of which is for the spatial registration and the other for the intensity compensation. The two blocks are sequentially updated by the Gauss-Newton update and the polynomial regression, respectively. Because of the separated blocks, we can perform a joint optimization with low computational complexity and high implementation flexibility. For example, we apply separately appropriate scaling techniques to the parameter blocks for a stable and fast convergence of the algorithm. Furthermore, we apply the constrained monotone regression with a robust outlier detection scheme for the intensity compensation block. From numerical results, it is shown that the proposed algorithm more effectively performs a correlation-based registration considering the intensity difference alleviating the influence of the outlier objects compared to the traditional registration algorithms that perform the joint optimization.     

The bi-elliptical deformable contour and its application to automated tongue segmentation in Chinese medicine

Automated tongue image segmentation, in Chinese medicine, is difficult due to two special factors: 1) there are many pathological details on the surface of the tongue, which have a large influence on edge extraction; 2) the shapes of the tongue bodies captured from various persons (with different diseases) are quite different, so they are impossible to describe properly using a predefined deformable template. To address these problems, in this paper, we propose an original technique that is based on a combination of a bi-elliptical deformable template (BEDT) and an active contour model, namely the bi-elliptical deformable contour (BEDC). The BEDT captures gross shape features by using the steepest decent method on its energy function in the parameter space. The BEDC is derived from the BEDT by substituting template forces for classical internal forces, and can deform to fit local details. Our algorithm features fully automatic interpretation of tongue images and a consistent combination of global and local controls via the template force. We apply the BEDC to a large set of clinical tongue images and present experimental results.     

Spatial template extraction for image retrieval by region matching

This paper presents a template and its relation extraction and estimation (TREE) algorithm for indexing images from picture libraries with more semantics-sensitive meanings. This algorithm can learn the commonality of visual concepts from multiple images to give a middle-level understanding about image contents. In this approach, each image is represented by a set of templates and their spatial relations as keys to capture the essence of this image. Each template is characterized by a set of dominant regions, which reflect different appearances of an object at different conditions and can be obtained by the template extraction and analysis (TEA) algorithm through region matching. The spatial template relation extraction and measurement (STREAM) algorithm is then proposed for obtaining the spatial relations between these templates. Due to the nature of a template, which can represent object's appearances at different conditions, the proposed approach owns better capabilities and flexibilities to capture image contents than traditional region-based methods. In addition, through maintaining the spatial layout of images, the semantic meanings of the query images can be extracted and lead to significant improvements in the accuracy of image retrieval. Since no time-consuming optimization process is involved, the proposed method learns the visual concepts extremely fast. Experimental results are provided to prove the superiority of the proposed method.     

Robust and efficient image alignment based on relative gradient matching.

In this paper, we present a robust image alignment algorithm based on matching of relative gradient maps. This algorithm consists of two stages; namely, a learning-based approximate pattern search and an iterative energy-minimization procedure for matching relative image gradient. The first stage finds some candidate poses of the pattern from the image through a fast nearest-neighbor search of the best match of the relative gradient features computed from training database of feature vectors, which are obtained from the synthesis of the geometrically transformed template image with the transformation parameters uniformly sampled from a given transformation parameter space. Subsequently, the candidate poses are further verified and refined by matching the relative gradient images through an iterative energy- minimization procedure. This approach based on the matching of relative gradients is robust against nonuniform illumination variations. Experimental results on both simulated and real images are shown to demonstrate superior efficiency and robustness of the proposed algorithm over the conventional normalized correlation method.     

Adaptive image normalisation based on block processing forenhancement of fingerprint image

Improved algorithms for enhancement of fingerprint images, which have the adaptive normalisation based on block processing, in the automatic fingerprint verification system, are proposed. To obtain an enhanced fingerprint image, first an input image is partitioned into sub-blocks with the size of K×L and the region of interest of the fingerprint image is acquired. The parameters for the image normalisation are then adaptively determined according to the statistics of each block. Utilising these parameters, the block image is normalised for the next process. The proposed algorithms are tested with the NIST fingerprint images and verified to have superb performance     

水印图像几何矫正算法研究

提出基于模板嵌入的旋转及缩放估计方法,模板匹配有较低的运算复杂度,提出的基于不变质心提取的平移估计方法,解决了在原始水印图像和待测图像的平移同步问题.实验结果表明该算法矫正精度高、性能稳定、计算量小.     

A Joint TDOA/FDOA Lo calization Algorithm Using Bi-iterative Method with Optimal Step Length

In order to improve the estimation accuracy of multi-station joint Time difference of arrive/ Frequency difference of arrive (TDOA/FDOA) location with Bi-Iterative method, a solution for the position of target with Gauss-Newton optimal step length is proposed in this paper. First, get the initial estimation of target based on Two-stage weighted least-squares (TSWLS) algorithm, and then alternately solve the position and velocity of the target with Bi-Iterative method. In this paper, Gauss-Newton method is applied to iteratively solve the target position, including the detailed equations of the descending direction and the optimal iterative step length in each iterative process. Simulations are carried out to examine the algorithm's performance by comparing it with TSWLS method and Gauss-Newton method regardless of the step length. The results show that when Gauss noise variance is small, the estimation accuracy is close to Cramer Rao lower bound (CRLB) and the proposed method performs better than the other two methods. In addition, because the model which includes the position and velocity of the observation station and the target is in line with the over-the-horizon reality scene in this paper, our research has certain practical value.     

一种改进的多视极化白化滤波算法

针对极化合成孔径雷达(PolSAR)图像的相干斑抑制问题,提出一种快速有效的多视极化白化滤波改进算法。该算法在分块加权法的块处理基础上,采用边缘检测模板对非同质类子块进行二次分类,从而提高了多视极化白化滤波(MPWF)算法的参数估计精度。利用美国宇航局喷气推进实验室(NASA/JPL)的AIRSAR系统实测数据进行了实验,实验结果表明文中方法不仅在斑点抑制效果和运算量上优于MPWF,而且有效地克服了分块处理带来的边缘模糊问题。     

双极型晶体管模型参数提取的组合优化算法

本文讨论双极型晶体管（ＢＪＴ）器件模型参数提取的最优化方法，提出了一种解决全局最优的组合算法，与通常的Ｇａｕｓｓ－Ｎｅｗｔｏｎ法相比，其突出的优点是：在计算过程中只需计算目标函数值，不必计算目标函数的梯度，所获得的解的全局最优性也较好，本文提出的方法在全局搜索的基础上还同时解决了初值选择与迭代策略，是一种简便、高效的全局优化算法。     

一种新的GNSS快速定位算法

GNSS定位的经典算法Gauss-Newton迭代法对初始位置依赖性强,若初值设置不当则迭代次数增加,而每次迭代涉及矩阵乘法和矩阵求逆,计算量剧增,直接影响系统冷启动首次定位时间。直接解算定位法无需初值和迭代计算,计算量小但定位精度较差。针对上述问题,本文提出了一种两步快速定位法,首先用直接解算法解算出用户的概略位置,然后将距离方程组在该位置处进行泰勒展开,用加权最小二乘算法计算用户位置的修正量,概略位置修正后即为用户位置。新算法与传统Gauss-Newton迭代定位算法相比,在保证相同定位精度前提下大幅降低运算量,具有重要的工程意义。仿真结果证明了新算法的有效性。      

Image-Driven Population Analysis Through Mixture Modeling

We present iCluster, a fast and efficient algorithm that clusters a set of images while co-registering them using a parameterized, nonlinear transformation model. The output of the algorithm is a small number of template images that represent different modes in a population. This is in contrast with traditional, hypothesis-driven computational anatomy approaches that assume a single template to construct an atlas. We derive the algorithm based on a generative model of an image population as a mixture of deformable template images. We validate and explore our method in four experiments. In the first experiment, we use synthetic data to explore the behavior of the algorithm and inform a design choice on parameter settings. In the second experiment, we demonstrate the utility of having multiple atlases for the application of localizing temporal lobe brain structures in a pool of subjects that contains healthy controls and schizophrenia patients. Next, we employ iCluster to partition a data set of 415 whole brain MR volumes of subjects aged 18 through 96 years into three anatomical subgroups. Our analysis suggests that these subgroups mainly correspond to age groups. The templates reveal significant structural differences across these age groups that confirm previous findings in aging research. In the final experiment, we run iCluster on a group of 15 patients with dementia and 15 age-matched healthy controls. The algorithm produces two modes, one of which contains dementia patients only. These results suggest that the algorithm can be used to discover subpopulations that correspond to interesting structural or functional “modes.”      

Automatic registration and alignment on a template of cardiacstress and rest reoriented SPECT images

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging with ²⁰¹Tl or ^99mTc agent is used to assess the location or the extent of myocardial infarction or ischemia. A method is proposed to decrease the effect of operator variability in the visual or quantitative interpretation of scintigraphic myocardial perfusion studies. To effect this, the patient's myocardial images (target cases) are registered automatically over a template image, utilizing a nonrigid transformation. The intermediate steps are: 1) Extraction of feature points in both stress and rest three-dimensional (3-D) images. The images are resampled in a polar geometry to detect edge points, which in turn are filtered by the use of a priori constraints. The remaining feature points are assumed to be points on the edges of the left ventricular myocardium. 2) Registration of stress and rest images with a global affine transformation. The matching method is an adaptation of the iterative closest point algorithm. 3) Registration and morphological matching of both stress and rest images on a template using a nonrigid local spline transformation following a global affine transformation. 4) Resampling of both stress and rest images in the geometry of the template. Optimization of the method was performed on a database of 40 pairs of stress and rest images selected to obtain a wide variation of images and abnormalities. Further testing was performed on 250 cases selected from the same database on the basis of the availability of angiographic results and patient stratification     

湍流退化图像相位恢复算法研究

为克服气动光学效应对目标图像的影响．把相位恢复算法与气动光学效应机理研究结合起来,用于湍流退化图像的恢复。该算法是通过目标图像的傅里叶变换幅值来恢复目标图像,或等价地,恢复傅里叶变换相位。讨论了两类相位复原算法——迭代傅里叶变换（研）和解相关算法。对现有的解相关算法作了改进。采用共轭梯度法解高斯一牛顿方程,可有效提高算法的收敛速度。研算法不能保证迭代过程总能收敛到正确解,有时会出现停滞现象。将研和解相关算法组合起来,可以克服IFT算法的停滞现象,提高正确收敛率。给出了在信噪比为20dB情况下的湍流退化仿真图像恢复的实例,目标图像能较清晰地恢复出来。实验结果表明该算法具有较好的稳定性和抗噪声能力。     

Motion detection and motion compensation for digital subtraction angiography image enhancement

For the enhancement of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images, registration of mask and contrast image prior to subtraction is a pre-requisite. One of the main requirements of this task is that the region-of-interest used for the calculation of the registration parameters should contain the vascular structures of interest. This, however, is also one of the main problems in DSA because the contrasted vascular structures can be regarded as a distortion that makes the images to be compared dissimilar. In this paper we present a comparison between three frequently used similarity measures and histogram-based similarity measures. This reveals the advantages of the latter. The data-driven approach is especially suitable for registration of two images which are identical except for some structures visible in one but not in the other image. Based on an energy similarity measure, a motion vector field is obtained by template matching, which gives a set of homologous landmarks or control points in the mask and contrast image. A point-based registration is performed fitting the parameter of an appropriate transformation for patient motion correction. An affine and an elastic transformation are compared for an abdominal fluoroscopic scene.