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Signal processing method in autoradiography

  • US 4,837,733 A
  • Filed: 07/10/1986
  • Issued: 06/06/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1983
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A signal processing method for processing an autoradiograph recorded on a support medium and containing locational information on the one dimensional location of radioactively labeled substances in a sample where the substances are distributed in at least one one dimensional direction on said support medium to form at least one row of the distributed substances,which comprises the steps of:

  • (1) generating digital image data where the data comprises sets of digital signals corresponding to the autoradiograph including the row of distributed substances;

    (2) scanning said digital image data in at least two different positions in such a manner that each scanning selects certain ones of said digital signals corresponding to the row of distributed substances to obtain relationships between positions of said certain ones of the digital signals in the direction of the scanning and the signal levels at said positions;

    (3) generating at least two distributed point signals based on said relationships where the two distributed point signals are generated for said row of distributed substances, the two distributed point signals respectively corresponding to the two different scanning positions and where said two distributed points are disposed on said row;

    (4) generating a signal corresponding to a continuous line selected from the group consisting of a straight line, a curved line and a polygonal line connecting said points on the row where said continuous line corresponds to a scanning line for detection of sampling points respectively corresponding to the locations of said substances;

    (5) scanning said digital image data along said scanning line to obtain locational information signals representative of said locational information for each of said substances in said sample;

    (6) said digital image data being generated by (a) causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by the radioactively labeled substances on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the radioactively labeled substances on the stimulable phosphor sheet, (b) scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release as stimulated emission at least a portion of the radiation energy absorbed by said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph, (c) detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically, and (d) converting the detected stimulated emission into said digital image data; and

    whereby said locational information signals can be obtained in spite of one or more deviations of said row of said distributed substances from a straight line due to the compensation effected by said scanning line for said deviations where said deviations may be present in the support medium and/or the stimulable phosphor sheet.

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