Optimal multi-scale geometric fusion based on non-subsampled contourlet transform and modified central force optimization

In the current era of technological development, medical imaging plays an important part in several applications of medical diagnosis and therapy. This requires more precise images with much more details and information for correct medical diagnosis and therapy. Medical image fusion is one of the solutions for obtaining much spatial and spectral information in a single image. This article presents an optimization-based contourlet image fusion approach in addition to a comparative study for the performance of both multi-resolution and multi-scale geometric effects on fusion quality. An optimized multi-scale fusion technique based on the Non-Subsampled Contourlet Transform (NSCT) using the Modified Central Force Optimization (MCFO) and local contrast enhancement techniques is presented. The first step in the proposed fusion approach is the histogram matching of one of the images to the other to allow the same dynamic range for both images. The NSCT is used after that to decompose the images to be fused into their coefficients. The MCFO technique is used to determine the optimum decomposition level and the optimum gain parameters for the best fusion of coefficients based on certain constraints. Finally, an additional contrast enhancement process is applied on the fused image to enhance its visual quality and reinforce details. The proposed fusion framework is subjectively and objectively evaluated with different fusion quality metrics including average gradient, local contrast, standard deviation (STD), edge intensity, entropy, peak signal-to-noise ratio, Q ^ab/f, and processing time. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed optimized NSCT medical image fusion approach based on the MCFO and histogram matching achieves a superior performance with higher image quality, average gradient, edge intensity, STD, better local contrast and entropy, a good quality factor, and much more details in images. These characteristics help for more accurate medical diagnosis in different medical applications.     

Combination of wavelet transform and singular value decomposition-based contrast enhancement technique for target detection in UAV reconnaissance thermal images

In Aerial surveillance, thermal images acquired by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are greatly affected due to various external interferences, which results in a low contrast image. Widely used conventional contrast enhancement methods such as histogram equalization and dynamic range partitioning techniques suffer from severe brightness changes and reduced sharpness, which in turn fail to preserve the edge details of the image. Thus for efficient target detection, it is essential to develop effective thermal infrared image contrast and edge enhancement technique. In this paper, wavelet transform (WT) and singular value decomposition (SVD)-based image enhancement technique is attempted for the target detection using thermal images captured by UAV. The discrete wavelet transform (DWT), stationary wavelet transform (SWT) and SVD are used for texture feature enhancement, edge enhancement and illumination correction, respectively. The experimental results show that the proposed technique yields higher entropy (6.7485), EMEE (2.1212), MSSIM (0.8719) and lower AMBE (21.9049) values when compared to other existing techniques.     

Contrast enhancement using real coded genetic algorithm based modified histogram equalization for gray scale images

Histogram equalization is a well‐known technique used for contrast enhancement. The global HE usually results in excessive contrast enhancement because of lack of control on the level of contrast enhancement. A new technique named modified histogram equalization using real coded genetic algorithm (MHERCGA) is aimed to sweep over this drawback. The primary aim of this paper is to obtain an enhanced method which keeps the original brightness. This method incorporates a provision to have a control over the level of contrast enhancement and applicable for all types of image including low contrast MRI brain images. The basic idea of this technique is to partition the input image histogram into two subhistograms based on a threshold which is obtained using Otsu's optimality principle. Then, bicriteria optimization problem is formulated to satisfy the aforementioned requirements. The subhistograms are modified by selecting optimal contrast enhancement parameters. Finally, the union of the modified subhistograms produce a contrast enhanced and details preserved output image. While developing an optimization problem, real coded genetic algorithm is applied to determine the optimal value of contrast enhancement parameters. This mechanism enhances the contrast of the input image better than the existing contemporary HE methods. The quality of the enhanced brain image indicates that the image obtained after this method can be useful for efficient detection of brain cancer in further process like segmentation, classification, etc. The performance of the proposed method is well supported by the contrast enhancement quantitative metrics such as discrete entropy and natural image quality evaluator. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 25, 24–32, 2015     

Palmprint enhancement using recursive histogram equalisation

Abstract

Palmprint identification system is one of the most powerful personal identification systems in recent years. In order to achieve high identification accuracy, all parts of the palmprint are needed to be enhanced. Histogram equalisation is a very popular image enhancing technique. A novel histogram equalisation technique, called recursive\ histogram equalisation, for brightness preservation and image contrast enhancement, is put forward in this paper. The essence of proposed algorithm is to decompose an input histogram into two or more sub-histograms recursively based on its mean, change the sub-histograms through a weighting process based on a normalised power law function and then equalise the weighted sub-histograms independently. Experiments show that our method preserves the mean brightness of a given image, enhances the contrast and produces more natural looking images than the other histogram equalisation methods.     

Contrast enhancement dynamic histogram equalization for medical image processing application

Image processing requires an excellent image contrast‐enhancement technique to extract useful information invisible to the human or machine vision. Because of the histogram flattening, the widely used conventional histogram equalization image‐enhancing technique suffers from severe brightness changes, rendering it undesirable. Hence, we introduce a contrast‐enhancement dynamic histogram‐equalization algorithm method that generates better output image by preserving the input mean brightness without introducing the unfavorable side effects of checkerboard effect, artefacts, and washed‐out appearance. The first procedure of this technique is; normalizing input histogram and followed by smoothing process. Then, the break point detection process is done to divide the histogram into subhistograms before we can remap the gray level allocation. Lastly, the transformation function of each subhistogram is constructed independently. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 21, 280‐289, 2011;     

Single sand-dust image restoration using information loss constraint

Abstract

Outdoor images captured during sand–dust weather condition typically yield poor contrast and colour shift. A novel method for single sand–dust images restoration is introduced in this paper, which relies on the atmospheric scattering model and information loss constraint. To compensate the colour shift and achieve proper luminance, the proposed atmospheric light is changing with the content of the local scenes, which is initially estimated on the basis of the general scattering model and the grey-world assumption. Then, the initial atmospheric light is updated and the coarse transmission is estimated under the information loss constraint. Next, the fast guide filter is exploited in the post-refinement process to inhibit the halo artefacts. Comparison experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is straightforward and efficient, the contrast and colour shift of different kinds of sand-dust images can be well compensated, especially, nice colour fidelity and proper luminance can be maintained.     

基于图像信息熵统计直方图的图像增强算法

目的为了解决图像因亮度较大造成的成像效果不佳、局部细节不清楚等问题。方法将直方图均衡化技术(Histogram Equalization, HE)引入图像信息熵域,提出对比度弱化的图像信息熵统计直方图自适应均衡化算法(Contrast-reduced Adaptive Entropy Histogram Equalization, CRAEHE)。以各个灰度级信息熵统计值为基础,先将原图像分割成若干个子区域,对每个子区域的灰度信息熵统计值进行阈值截取,补充到子区域内各个灰度级上,再对子区域进行信息熵直方图均衡化处理。采用USC-SIPI和CBSD432数据集图像,用图像灰度均值、标准差、平均梯度、信息熵等参数对实验样本进行质量评价。结果文中算法处理结果较原图灰度均值下降了7.94%,标准差平均提高了52.22%,信息熵平均提高了19.86%,平均梯度提高了57.19%。结论文中算法增强了选自数据集里的过亮图像的细节,并使图像整体细节与质量都得到了改善,该算法的处理结果较其他处理实验样本的主观质量提升明显,对光照强度适应范围广。     

An improved adaptive detail enhancement algorithm for infrared images based on guided image filter

Detail enhancement algorithms are important for raw infrared images to improve their overall contrast and highlight important information in them. To solve the problems that current algorithms like GF&DDE have, an improved adaptive detail enhancement algorithm for infrared images based on a guided image filter is proposed in this paper. It chooses the threshold for the base layer image adaptively according to the histogram statistical information and adjusts the mapping range of the histograms according to the dynamic range of the image. Besides, the detail layer is handled by a simpler adaptive gain control method to achieve the good detail enhancement effect. Finally, the base layer and the detail are merged according to the approximate proportion of the background and the details. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can adaptively and efficiently enhance different dynamic range images in different scenarios. Moreover, this algorithm has high real-time performance.     

Optimized contrast enhancement for tumor detection

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a real assistant for doctors. It provides rich information about anatomy of human body for precise diagnosis of a diseases or disorder. But it is quite challenging to extract relevant information from low contrast and poor quality MRI images. Poor visual interpretation is a hindrance in correct diagnosis of a disease. This creates a strong need for contrast enhancement of MRI images. Study of existing literature shows that conventional techniques focus on intensity histogram equalization. These techniques face the problems of over enhancement, noise and unwanted artifacts. Moreover, these are incapable to yield the maximum entropy and brightness preservation. Thus ineffective in diagnosis of a defect/disease such as tumor. This motivates the authors to propose the contrast enhancement model namely optimized double threshold weighted constrained histogram equalization. The model is a pipelined approach that incorporates Otsu's double threshold method, particle swarm optimized weighted constrained model, histogram equalization, adaptive gamma correction, and Wiener filtering. This algorithm preserves all essential information recorded in an image by automatically selecting an appropriate value of threshold for image segmentation. The proposed model is effective in detecting tumor from enhanced MRI images.     

A New Medical Image Enhancement Algorithm Based on Fractional Calculus

The enhancement of medical images is a challenging research task due to the unforeseeable variation in the quality of the captured images. The captured images may present with low contrast and low visibility, which might influence the accuracy of the diagnosis process. To overcome this problem, this paper presents a new fractional integral entropy (FITE) that estimates the unforeseeable probabilities of image pixels, posing as the main contribution of the paper. The proposed model dynamically enhances the image based on the image contents. The main advantage of FITE lies in its capability to enhance the low contrast intensities through pixels’ probability. Initially, the pixel probability of the fractional power is utilized to extract the illumination value from the pixels of the image. Next, the contrast of the image is then adjusted to enhance the regions with low visibility. Finally, the fractional integral entropy approach is implemented to enhance the low visibility contents from the input image. Tests were conducted on brain MRI, lungs CT, and kidney MRI scans datasets of different image qualities to show that the proposed model is robust and can withstand dramatic variations in quality. The obtained comparative results show that the proposed image enhancement model achieves the best BRISQUE and NIQE scores. Overall, this model improves the details of brain MRI, lungs CT, and kidney MRI scans, and could therefore potentially help the medical staff during the diagnosis process.     

Intuitionistic fuzzy approach for enhancement of low contrast mammogram images

Mammogram image enhancement is very much necessary in diagnosing breast cancer or tumor at an early stage. Nonuniform illumination and low contrast images are commonly encountered in mammogram images. Conventional enhancement algorithms produce either some artifacts or cannot highlight minute details present in the images, particularly when dealing with mammogram images. In this article, we propose a new mammogram image enhancement scheme using Atanassov's intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) theory. IFS considers two uncertainties—membership and nonmembership degree apart from membership degree as in fuzzy set theory. As mammogram images are low contrast images and many of the image definitions are vague/unclear, so IFS theory may be suitable for better image enhancement. Initially, the image is transformed to an intuitionistic fuzzy image using a novel intuitionistic fuzzy generator. Hesitation degree is computed and using the hesitation degree, two membership levels are computed to form an interval type 2 fuzzy set. These two membership functions are then combined using Zadeh's fuzzy t-conorm to form a new membership function. Threshold of interval type 2 fuzzy image is obtained using restricted equivalence function. Using the threshold, modified fuzzy hyperbolization is carried out. Real data experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has better performance on contrast and visual quality of the images both quantitatively and qualitatively when compared with different existing methods.     

Image contrast enhancement with brightness preservation using an optimal gamma correction and weighted sum approach

The enhancement of image contrast and preservation of image brightness are two important but conflicting objectives in image restoration. Previous attempts based on linear histogram equalization had achieved contrast enhancement, but exact preservation of brightness was not accomplished. A new perspective is taken here to provide balanced performance of contrast enhancement and brightness preservation simultaneously by casting the quest of such solution to an optimization problem. Specifically, the non-linear gamma correction method is adopted to enhance the contrast, while a weighted sum approach is employed for brightness preservation. In addition, the efficient golden search algorithm is exploited to determine the required optimal parameters to produce the enhanced images. Experiments are conducted on natural colour images captured under various indoor, outdoor and illumination conditions. Results have shown that the proposed method outperforms currently available methods in contrast to enhancement and brightness preservation.     

电镜图像的量子衍生增强算法

在量子信息处理框架下,从像素灰度归一化、像素量子态表示、量子测量、测量结果映射等方面,总结了现有量子衍生图像增强算法的处理流程。以 SARS-CoV-2 新冠病毒电镜图像增强为样本,结合实验分析,改进了量子衍生增强算子的加权方式,提出了灰度变换可调参数优化值的非迭代式确定算子。实验结果表明,量子衍生增强算法综合考虑了电镜图像的全局与局部信息,兼顾了对电镜图像对比度与亮度的调节,图像细节清晰、明暗适宜。     

Digitized holography: modern holography for 3D imaging of virtual and real objects

Recent developments in computer algorithms, image sensors, and microfabrication technologies make it possible to digitize the whole process of classical holography. This technique, referred to as digitized holography, allows us to create fine spatial three-dimensional (3D) images composed of virtual and real objects. In the technique, the wave field of real objects is captured in a wide area and at very high resolution using the technique of synthetic aperture digital holography. The captured field is incorporated in virtual 3D scenes including two-dimensional digital images and 3D polygon mesh objects. The synthetic field is optically reconstructed using the technique of computer-generated holograms. The reconstructed 3D images present all depth cues like classical holograms but are digitally editable, archivable, and transmittable unlike classical holograms. The synthetic hologram printed by a laser lithography system has a wide viewing zone in full-parallax and give viewers a strong sensation of depth, which has never been achieved by conventional 3D systems. A real hologram as well as the details of the technique is presented to verify the proposed technique.     

自适应红外图像直方图均衡增强算法

针对红外图像的特点,本文提出了一种自适应红外图像直方图均衡增强算法.该方法根据原始图像的直方图,自适应地构造出一个加权函数对原始图像的直方图进行加权处理,然后采用加权后的直方图对原始图像进行直方图均衡化.算法不需要人为指定阈值,而且克服了传统直方图均衡提升红外图像背景的缺点.实验结果表明,该算法对红外图像具有较好的增强效果,能够有效地抑制图像的背景,突出目标.     

Brightness preserving bi‐level fuzzy histogram equalization for MRI brain image contrast enhancement

In this article, brightness preserving bi‐level fuzzy histogram equalization (BPFHE) is proposed for the contrast enhancement of MRI brain images. Histogram equalization (HE) is widely used for improving the contrast in digital images. As a result, such image creates side‐effects such as washed‐out appearance and false contouring due to the significant change in brightness. In order to overcome these problems, mean brightness preserving HE based techniques have been proposed. Generally, these methods partition the histogram of the original image into sub histograms and then independently equalize each sub‐histogram. The BPFHE consists of two stages. First, fuzzy histogram is computed based on fuzzy set theory to handle the inexactness of gray level values in a better way compared to classical crisp histograms. In the second stage, the fuzzy histogram is divided into two sub‐histograms based on the mean intensities of the multi‐peaks in the original image and then equalizes them independently to preserve image brightness. The quantitative and subjective enhancement of proposed BPBFHE algorithm is evaluated using two well known parameters like entropy or average information contents (AIC) and Feature Similarity Index Matrix (FSIM) for different gray scale images. The proposed method have been tested using several images and gives better visual quality as compared to the conventional methods. The simulation results show that the proposed method has better performance than the existing methods, and preserve the original brightness quite well, so that it is possible to be utilized in medical image diagnosis.     

Contrast limited fuzzy adaptive histogram equalization for enhancement of brain images

Contrast limited fuzzy adaptive histogram equalization (CLFAHE) is proposed to improve the contrast of MRI Brain images. The proposed method consists of three stages. First, the gray level intensities are transformed into membership plane and membership plane is modified with Contrast intensification operator. In the second stage, the contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization is applied to the modified membership plane to prevent excessive enhancement in contrast by preserving the original brightness. Finally, membership plane is mapped back to the gray level intensities. The performance of proposed method is evaluated and compared with the existing methods in terms of qualitative measures such as entropy, PSNR, AMBE, and FSIM. The proposed method provides enhanced results by giving better contrast enhancement and preserving the local information of the original image. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 27, 98–103, 2017     

Single image dehazing using multiple transmission layer fusion

Methods for single image dehazing have been widely studied based on the atmospheric scattering model and dark channel prior (DCP); they usually adopt an additional refinement procedure such as guide filtering to restrain the halo artefacts, but it easily induces undesirable textures in the final transmission map, and further leads to an overall contrast reduction and detail blur. In this paper, an efficient approach was proposed to enhance single hazy images without any refined post-process, which is based on the strategy of multiple transmission layers fusion. In order to estimate the final transmission map adapting to different scenes reasonably, the multiple transmission layers were derived based on DCP with different kinds of adaptive local watch windows. To make sure the atmospheric light is estimated in the most haze-opaque region, the corresponding region was searched hierarchically with the quadtree subdivision method in the top part of the minimal channel of the input image. Finally, the hazy image was restored through solving the scattering model. Comparison experiments verify that the proposed method is straightforward and efficient, which can reduce the halo artefacts significantly, yielding satisfactory contrast and colour for varied hazy images.     

一种基于声呐信息融合的水下图像增强方法

由于光在水中传输时的衰减和散射效应,使得光学成像细节丢失、对比度下降以及颜色偏移失真,导致水下图像雾化。因此在光线条件较为恶劣情况下,水下高性能相机对目标的有效捕捉范围较小,水下光学成像系统通常很难达到令人满意的成像效果。而声呐利用声波在水中传播衰减较小的特点可以进行更远距离的探测。因此,当水下目标距离光学探测设备较远而不能进行准确光学成像来捕捉目标时,可利用声呐采集得到的信息与光学图像进行融合,实现图像增强,提高成像效果。文章提出了一种基于声呐信息融合的水下图像增强方法,首先对水下光学图像分两步进行预处理,即基于暗通道先验模型的去雾增强和自适应图像增强,再使用声呐信息对水下图像进行局部增强,明显提高水下环境中所要探测目标的对比度与可识别度。     

Medical image enhancement algorithm based on NSCT and the improved fuzzy contrast

In order to solve the problem of noise amplification, low contrast and image distortion in the process of medical image enhancement, a new algorithm is proposed which combines NSCT (nonsubsampled contourlet transform) and improved fuzzy contrast. The image is decomposed by NSCT. Firstly, linear enhancement method is used in low frequency coefficients; secondly the improved adaptive threshold function is used to deal with the high frequency coefficients. Finally, the improved fuzzy contrast is used to enhance the global contrast and the Laplace operator is used to enhance the details of the medical images. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can improve the image visual effects, remove the noise and enhance the details of medical images. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 25, 7–14, 2015