Image processing apparatus and method for processing images

• US 20050073685A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Arai, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/419
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/27 using photo-electric detection G01N21/31 takes precedence; circuits for computing concentration logarithmic circuits G06G7/24; photometric circuits in general G01J
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30024 Cell structures in vitro; Tissue sections in vitro
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics

Abstract

An image processing apparatus uses a camera to pick up images of an image pickup target illuminated by a transmission type illumination, via optical filters, and then allows a spectral characteristic estimating section and a pigment amount estimating section to calculate a physical amount relating to the image pickup target for each pixel of the image pickup target, on the basis of the picked-up multiple band images. On this occasion, the image processing apparatus uses the optical filters the number of which is equal to the number of independent components of the calculated physical amount.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

image pickup section configured to use an image pickup element to pick up images of a target illuminated by a transmission type illumination, via optical filters; and

calculating section configured to calculate a physical amount relating to the target for each pixel of the target on the basis of the images picked up by the image pickup section,

the number of optical filters used for the image pickup being equal to the number of independent components of the physical amount calculated by the calculating section.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical filters are selected in accordance with conditions relating to minimization of errors in the physical amount calculated by the calculating section.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the conditions include a combination of spectral characteristics which minimizes errors in the physical amount calculated by the calculating section.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the physical amount includes the amounts of pigments, and

the conditions include a combination of spectral characteristics which minimizes errors in estimation of the amounts of pigments calculated by the calculating section, on the basis of the spectral characteristics of the pigments relating to the target.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the conditions include a condition for a noise characteristic of the image pickup section.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target includes a translucent object colored with the pigments.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the physical amount relating to the target includes the amount of pigment contained in the target.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the target includes a biological tissue sample.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pigments include hematoxylin and eosin.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the calculating section is configured to use the Wiener estimation when calculating the amount of pigment contained in the target.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the calculating section is configured to use the Lambert-Beer'"'"'s law when calculating the amount of pigment contained in the target.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the number of optical filters is two.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the optical filters are composed of one filter configured to re-set a transmission wavelength, and

the number of settings of the one filter used for image pickup is equal to the number of independent components of the calculated physical amount.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the calculating section is configured to calculate the physical amount relating to the target for each local image area containing at least two proximate pixels.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the sizes of all the local image areas contained in a single image are equal.

16. A method for processing images, the method comprising:

picking up images of a target illuminated by a transmission type illumination, via optical filters; and

calculating a physical amount relating to the target for each pixel of the target on the basis of the picked-up images,

the number of optical filters used for the image pickup being equal to the number of independent components of the calculated physical amount.

17. A method for processing images, the method comprising:

picking up images of a target dyed with a plurality of predetermined pigments, via a plurality of optical filters with different spectral characteristics;

calculating and estimating the amount of each of the plurality of pigments relating to the target for each pixel of the target on the basis of the picked-up images; and

analyzing the target on the basis of a distribution of the estimated amounts of the pigments,

the number of the plurality of optical filters being equal to the number of independent components of the calculated and estimated amounts of pigments, and

a combination of the different spectral characteristics of the plurality of optical filters being preselected so as to minimize errors in estimation of the calculated and estimated amounts of pigments.

18. An image processing apparatus comprising:

image pickup means for using an image pickup element to pick up images of a target illuminated by a transmission type illumination, via optical filters; and

calculating means for calculating a physical amount relating to the target for each pixel of the target on the basis of the images picked up by the image pickup means,

the number of optical filters used for the image pickup being equal to the number of independent components of the physical amount calculated by the calculating means.