Fuzzy c-means clustering with non local spatial information for noisy image segmentation

As an effective image segmentation method, the standard fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering algorithm is very sensitive to noise in images. Several modified FCM algorithms, using local spatial information, can overcome this problem to some degree. However, when the noise level in the image is high, these algorithms still cannot obtain satisfactory segmentation performance. In this paper, we introduce a non local spatial constraint term into the objective function of FCM and propose a fuzzy cmeans clustering algorithm with non local spatial information (FCM_NLS). FCM_NLS can deal more effectively with the image noise and preserve geometrical edges in the image. Performance evaluation experiments on synthetic and real images, especially magnetic resonance (MR) images, show that FCM_NLS is more robust than both the standard FCM and the modified FCM algorithms using local spatial information for noisy image segmentation.     

An adaptive spatial information-theoretic fuzzy clustering algorithm for image segmentation

This paper presents an adaptive spatial information-theoretic fuzzy clustering algorithm to improve the robustness of the conventional fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering algorithms for image segmentation. This is achieved through the incorporation of information-theoretic framework into the FCM-type algorithms. By combining these two concepts and modifying the objective function of the FCM algorithm, we are able to solve the problems of sensitivity to noisy data and the lack of spatial information, and improve the image segmentation results. The experimental results have shown that this robust clustering algorithm is useful for MRI brain image segmentation and it yields better segmentation results when compared to the conventional FCM approach.     

二维遗传算法用于图象动态分割

为了有效地对受噪声影响的图象进行分析,提出了两种基于二维遗传算法的图象动 态分割算法.在这些算法中:1)分别采用了以阈值曲面和模糊隶属度曲面为染色体的二维染 色体编码方式;2)采用了全局阈值化算法和模糊集合理论初始化种群;3)采用Hopfield网络 的能量函数形式,结合FCM算法和现有阈值化算法中的一般性分割准则构造适应度函数. 利用实际图象将所提出的算法与一些典型算法进行了分割比较实验,结果表明所提算法有较 好的抗噪效果.     

A two-stage fuzzy multi-objective framework for segmentation of 3D MRI brain image data

Segmentation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain image data has a significant impact on the computer guided medical image diagnosis and analysis. However, due to limitation of image acquisition devices and other related factors, MRI images are severely affected by the noise and inhomogeneity artefacts which lead to blurry edges in the intersection of the intra-organ soft tissue regions, making the segmentation process more difficult and challenging. This paper presents a novel two-stage fuzzy multi-objective framework (2sFMoF) for segmenting 3D MRI brain image data. In the first stage, a 3D spatial fuzzy c-means (3DSpFCM) algorithm is introduced by incorporating the 3D spatial neighbourhood information of the volume data to define a new local membership function along with the global membership function for each voxel. In particular, the membership functions actually define the underlying relationship between the voxels of a close cubic neighbourhood and image data in 3D image space. The cluster prototypes thus obtained are fed into a 3D modified fuzzy c-means (3DMFCM) algorithm, which further incorporates local voxel information to generate the final prototypes. The proposed framework addresses the shortcomings of the traditional FCM algorithm, which is highly sensitive to noise and may stuck into a local minima. The method is validated on a synthetic image volume and several simulated and in-vivo 3D MRI brain image volumes and found to be effective even in noisy data. The empirical results show the supremacy of the proposed method over the other FCM based algorithms and other related methods devised in the recent past.     

基于形态学重建改进的FCM算法

传统的FCM(fuzzy c-means)算法可以准确的分割多数无噪声图像,但对噪声图像非常敏感。针对于此类问题,提出了一种基于形态学重建的改进FCM算法。首先利用形态学闭合重建算子对含噪图像进行光滑化。然后利用基于邻域信息的改进FCM算法对合成图像及医学图像进行分割处理,最终得出了更加精确的分割结果。通过与其它两类算法进行数值实验对比,验证了所提出算法的有效性和实用性。     

基于变分水平集的图像模糊聚类分割

结合变分水平集方法和模糊聚类,提出了一个基于变分水平集的图像聚类分割模型.该模型引入了一个基于图像局部信息的外部模糊聚类能量和一个新的关于零水平集的正则化能量,使得该模型对噪声图像的聚类分割更具鲁棒性.通过在能量泛函中加入一个内部约束能量约束水平集函数为符号距离函数,可以使水平集演化过程无需重新初始化.进一步提出了一种变分形式的聚类中心更新方法,实现了半监督的图像聚类分割.实验中采用不同类型的图像与FCM聚类模型、CV模型、Samson模型进行了对比实验,实验结果显示,该模型能够克服图像中噪声的影响,取得较满意的聚类分割效果.     

基于二维直方图的图像模糊聚类分割新方法

基于二维直方图的模糊聚类分割算法可以有效地抑制噪声的干扰。但是,FCM算法用于图像数据聚类时的最大缺陷是运算的开销太大,这就限制了这种方法在图像分割中的应用。该文根据FCM算法和灰度图像的特点,提出了一种适用于灰度图像分割的抑制式模糊C-均值聚类算法(S-FCM)。通过调节抑制因子α来提高分割速度和分类的正确率。实验结果表明,新算法对小目标灰度图像的分割效果优于FCM算法。     

基于隶属度光滑约束的模糊C均值聚类算法

传统的FCM聚类算法未利用图像的空间信息,在分割叠加了噪声的MR图像时分割效果不理想。本文考虑到脑部MR图像真实的灰度值具有分片为常数的特性,按照合理利用图像空间信息的原则,对传统的FCM聚类算法进行了改进,增加了使隶属度趋向于分片光滑的约束项,得到了新的聚类算法。通过对模拟脑部MR图像和临床脑部MR图像的分割实验结果表明,本文提出的新算法比传统的FCM算法等多种图像分割算法有更精确的图像分割能力,并且运算简单、运算速度快、稳健性好。     

光照鲁棒的模糊C均值聚类显微图像分割

传统的模糊C均值FCM聚类图像分割算法在显微图像分割中由于没有考虑光照不均匀的影响而降低了分割的效果,为此,提出了一种光照鲁棒的FCM显微图像分割算法。该算法用正交基函数的线性组合模拟不均匀光照,并引入到FCM算法的目标函数中,进行图像的模糊分割。算法不仅降低了非均匀光照对分割效果的影响,还可以同步估计不均匀光照场。实验结果表明,该方法非常有效。     

基于灰度空间特征的模糊C均值聚类图像分割

模糊C均值(FCM)聚类算法广泛用于图像的自动分割,但是该算法没有考虑像素的灰度和空间特征,对噪声十分敏感.因此提出一种改进的算法,在传统的FCM聚类的基础上,运用邻域像素的灰度相似度和聚类分布统计来构造新的隶属函数,对图像进行聚类分割.该方法不仅有效地抑制了噪声的干扰,而且把错分类的像素很容易的纠正过来.对两种类型的含噪图像的实验结果表明该方法对噪声具有很强的鲁棒性和对像素聚类的正确性.     

非局部降噪快速模糊C-均值聚类算法

传统的模糊C-均值聚类算法未利用图像的空间信息,在分割迭加了噪声的MR图像时分割精度较差。采用了既能有效去除噪声又能较好地保持图像边缘特征的非局部降噪方法,结合基于图像灰度直方图聚类分析的快速模糊C-均值聚类算法,得到了一种具有较高分割精度的图像快速分割算法。通过对模拟图像、仿真脑部MR图像和临床脑部MR图像的分割实验,表明提出的新算法比已有的快速模糊C-均值聚类算法有更精确的图像分割能力。     

基于模糊隶属度空间约束的FCM图像分割

针对模糊C均值(FCM)算法对噪声较为敏感,提出了基于隶属度空间约束的FCM图像分割方法,该方法将隶属度空间约束关系引入到FCM目标函数,在新的目标函数中,像素点的隶属度不仅仅与FCM标准目标函数有关,还与其领域像素点的隶属度有关。由于融合了图像像素点的空间信息,反映了领域像素点间的隶属度关联信息,因此该算法具有较强的杭噪性能。     

A fast and robust image segmentation using FCM with spatial information

Automated segmentation of images has been considered an important intermediate processing task to extract semantic meaning from pixels. In general, the fuzzy c-means approach (FCM) is highly effective for image segmentation. But for the conventional FCM image segmentation algorithm, cluster assignment is based solely on the distribution of pixel attributes in the feature space, and the spatial distribution of pixels in an image is not taken into consideration. In this paper, we present a novel FCM image segmentation scheme by utilizing local contextual information and the high inter-pixel correlation inherent. Firstly, a local spatial similarity measure model is established, and the initial clustering center and initial membership are determined adaptively based on local spatial similarity measure model. Secondly, the fuzzy membership function is modified according to the high inter-pixel correlation inherent. Finally, the image is segmented by using the modified FCM algorithm. Experimental results showed the proposed method achieves competitive segmentation results compared to other FCM-based methods, and is in general faster.     

Multi-component image segmentation using a hybrid dynamic genetic algorithm and fuzzy C-means

Image segmentation is an important task in image analysis and processing. Many of the existing methods for segmenting a multi-component image (satellite or aerial) are very slow and require a priori knowledge of the image that could be difficult to obtain. Furthermore, the success of each of these methods depends on several factors, such as the characteristics of the acquired image, resolution limitations, intensity in-homogeneities and the percentage of imperfections induced by the process of image acquisition. Recently, fuzzy C-means (FCM) and Genetic Algorithms were separately used in segmenting multi-component images but neither of them had successfully addressed the above concerns. GA was enhanced using Hill-climbing, randomising, and modified mutation operators, leading to what is called hybrid dynamic genetic algorithm (HDGA). Coupling HDGA and FCM creates an unsupervised segmentation method which could successfully segment two types of multi-component images (Landsat ETMt, and IKONOS II). Comparison with the four different methods FCM, hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA), self-organizing-maps (SOM), and the combination of SOM and HGA (SOM-HGA) reveals that FCM-HDGA segmentation method gives robust and reliable results, and is more time efficient.     

Adaptive spatial information-theoretic clustering for image segmentation

The incorporation of spatial context into clustering algorithms for image segmentation has recently received a significant amount of attention. Many modified clustering algorithms have been proposed and proven to be effective for image segmentation. In this paper, we propose a different framework for incorporating spatial information with the aim of achieving robust and accurate segmentation in case of mixed noise without using experimentally set parameters based on the original robust information clustering (RIC) algorithm, called adaptive spatial information-theoretic clustering (ASIC) algorithm. The proposed objective function has a new dissimilarity measure, and the weighting factor for neighborhood effect is fully adaptive to the image content. It enhances the smoothness towards piecewise-homogeneous segmentation and reduces the edge blurring effect. Furthermore, a unique characteristic of the new information segmentation algorithm is that it has the capabilities to eliminate outliers at different stages of the ASIC algorithm. These result in improved segmentation result by identifying and relabeling the outliers in a relatively stronger noisy environment. Comprehensive experiments and a new information-theoretic proof are carried out to illustrate that our new algorithm can consistently improve the segmentation result while effectively handles the edge blurring effect. The experimental results with both synthetic and real images demonstrate that the proposed method is effective and robust to mixed noise and the algorithm outperforms other popular spatial clustering variants.     

SOM and fuzzy based color image segmentation

Spatial information enhances the quality of clustering which is not utilized in the conventional FCM. Normally fuzzy c-mean (FCM) algorithm is not used for color image segmentation and also it is not robust against noise. In this paper, we presented a modified version of fuzzy c-means (FCM) algorithm that incorporates spatial information into the membership function for clustering of color images A progressive technique based on SOM is used to automatically find the number of optimal clusters. The results show that our technique outperforms state-of-the art methods.     

自适应非局部空间约束与K-L信息的模糊C-均值噪声图像分割算法

针对传统模糊C-均值聚类(FCM)算法对噪声鲁棒性差的问题, 提出一种自适应非局部空间约束与K-L信息 的模糊C-均值噪声图像分割算法. 首先, 通过定义平滑度, 设计自适应匹配函数, 实现非局部空间信息项搜索窗口和 邻域窗口的自适应计算, 克服非局部空间信息窗口大小固定的问题. 其次, 将K-L信息引入目标函数, 利用隐马尔可 夫模型计算图像像素的上下文信息, 减少分割的模糊性. 最后, 利用原始图像和非局部空间信息项局部方差的绝对 差和其倒数自适应约束原始图像和非局部空间信息项, 实现约束项参数的自适应选择, 提高算法的灵活性. 含噪合 成图像和彩色图像分割实验表明, 该算法在分割精准度、平均交互比、归一化互信息、模糊分割系数和模糊划分熵 等性能方面均优于其他几种FCM算法. 例如, 在混合噪声密度为15%的条件下, 算法的模糊分割系数和模糊划分熵 分别达到99.92%和0.14%.     

结合基因表达式编程与空间模糊聚类的图像分割

目的 针对模糊C-均值聚类图像分割方法存在的对初始值敏感及抗噪性能差的问题,提出一种结合基因表达式编程与空间模糊聚类的图像分割方法。方法 首先,利用基因表达式编程算法对图像进行初次分割,即将聚类中心编码成染色体,通过适应度评价引导搜索获得优化的聚类中心;然后在隶属度计算中引入空间函数,以初次分割结果作为初始值,使用空间模糊聚类对图像进行二次分割。结果 对加噪的合成图像和Berkeley图像的分割实验显示,本文方法在聚类划分系数（VPC）、聚类划分熵（VPE）和峰值信噪比（PSNR）等评价指标上总体性能优于经典的模糊C-均值聚类和空间模糊C-均值聚类分割算法,其中VPC值平均高出0.062 4和0.061 1,VPE值平均降低0.117 0和0.101 1,而PSNR值平均提升了约13.312 1 dB和3.308 4 dB;在对Berkeley图像库中的6幅图片的分割实验显示,本文方法对图像分割的VPC值均在0.93以上,相比两种对比方法平均提高0.157 6和0.013 3,VPE值保持在0.1附近,均低于对比方法,PSNR值平均提高2.896 3 dB和1.934 4 dB;在多目标分割实验上,随着聚类数目增加,3种方法的分割性能均有下降,但本文方法性能曲线最为平缓,受聚类数目的影响最小。虽然本文方法所需的运行时间略有增加,但求解所需的迭代次数却极大地减少。结论 本文提出的图像分割方法具有很强的抗噪性、更高的分割精度和稳定性,适用于需要更精确结果、对时间要求不高的分割场景。     

Distance metric-based time-efficient fuzzy algorithm for abnormal magnetic resonance brain image segmentation

Image segmentation is one of the significant computational applications of the biomedical field. Automated computational methodologies are highly preferred for medical image segmentation since these techniques are immune to human perception error. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based techniques are often used for this process since they are superior to other automated techniques in terms of accuracy and convergence time period. Fuzzy systems hold a significant position among the AI techniques because of their high accuracy. Even though these systems are exceptionally accurate, the time period required for convergence is exceedingly high. In this work, a novel distance metric-based fuzzy C-means (FCM) algorithm is proposed to tackle the low-convergence-rate problem of the conventional fuzzy systems. This modified approach involves the concept of distance-based dimensionality reduction of the input vector space that substantially reduces the iterative time period of the conventional FCM algorithm. The effectiveness of the modified FCM algorithm is explored in the context of magnetic resonance brain tumor image segmentation. Experimental results show promising results for the proposed approach in terms of convergence time period and segmentation efficiency. Thus, this algorithm proves to be highly feasible for time-oriented real-time applications.     

结合FCMS与变分水平集的图像分割模型

提出了一个结合融合空间约束的模糊C均值（Fuzzy C means with spatial constraints,FCMS）聚类与变分水平集的图像模糊聚类分割模型.在该模型中引入了一个基于图像局部信息和空间信息的外部模糊聚类能量,从而可以获取精确的局部图像的空间特征,使得本文模型对噪声图像的聚类分割具有较强的鲁棒性.采用不同类型的实验图像,将本文模型与10个不同类型的图像分割模型进行了对比实验,实验结果显示本文模型能克服图像中噪声影响并取得较满意的聚类分割结果.