Image quality assessment including comparison of overlapped margins
First Claim
1. An image processing method, comprising:
- acquiring a first digital image encompassing a limited area of a subject being imaged;
acquiring at least one second digital image encompassing an area of the subject adjacent to the limited area, wherein the first and second digital images overlap along margins thereof, the first and second digital images providing pixel data sets wherein pixel data subsets corresponding to the margins encompass a same area of the subject;
applying a numeric image analysis algorithm to the first and second digital images at the pixel data subsets corresponding to the margins, thereby producing two characterizations for said same area of the subject as represented by the first and second digital images, wherein the numeric image analysis includes generating at least one summary value characterizing accuracy of focus for each of the overlapping margins and comparing relative accuracy of focus for the first and second digital images in the margins; and
,at least one of normalizing, encoding, storing and indicating a measurement associated with the first and second digital images, based on comparison of the two characterizations for said same area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Image quality is assessed for a digital image that is a composite of tiles or other image segments, especially focus accuracy for a microscopic pathology sample. An algorithm or combination of algorithms correlated to image quality is applied to pixel data at margins where adjacent image segments overlap and thus contain the same content in separately acquired images. The margins may be edges merged to join the image segments smoothly into a composite image, and typically occur on four sides of the image segments. The two versions of the same image content at each margin are processed by the quality algorithm, producing two assessment values. A sign and difference value are compared with other image segments, including by subsets selected for the orientation of the margins on sides on the image segments. The differences are mapped to displays. Selection criteria determine segments to be re-acquired.
36 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An image processing method, comprising:
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acquiring a first digital image encompassing a limited area of a subject being imaged; acquiring at least one second digital image encompassing an area of the subject adjacent to the limited area, wherein the first and second digital images overlap along margins thereof, the first and second digital images providing pixel data sets wherein pixel data subsets corresponding to the margins encompass a same area of the subject; applying a numeric image analysis algorithm to the first and second digital images at the pixel data subsets corresponding to the margins, thereby producing two characterizations for said same area of the subject as represented by the first and second digital images, wherein the numeric image analysis includes generating at least one summary value characterizing accuracy of focus for each of the overlapping margins and comparing relative accuracy of focus for the first and second digital images in the margins; and
,at least one of normalizing, encoding, storing and indicating a measurement associated with the first and second digital images, based on comparison of the two characterizations for said same area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An image processing method, comprising:
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acquiring a first digital image encompassing a limited area of a subject being imaged; acquiring at least one second digital image encompassing an area of the subject adjacent to the limited area, wherein the first and second digital images overlap along margins thereof, the first and second digital images providing pixel data sets wherein pixel data subsets corresponding to the margins encompass a same area of the subject; applying a numeric image analysis algorithm to the first and second digital images at the pixel data subsets corresponding to the margins, thereby producing two characterizations for said same area of the subject as represented by the first and second digital images; further comprising acquiring a plurality of said first and second digital images forming image segments in an array encompassing the subject, wherein the numeric analysis includes generating at least one summary value characterizing accuracy of focus for plural overlapping margins of the image segments, and the comparison of the two characterizations includes determining a difference value having a sign and a value; and at least one of normalizing, encoding, storing and indicating a measurement associated with the first and second digital images, based on comparison of the two characterizations for said same area. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for digital pathology imaging, comprising:
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mounting a pathology specimen on a slide defining an X-Y plane; arranging the slide on a stage of a microscope having a digital camera for recording at a Z axis focal distance a magnified image of the specimen at an X-Y position, the microscope having a relative positioning control in the X-Y plane and a relative focal distance control along the Z axis; obtaining and at least temporarily storing successive pixel data images at different focal distances, applying a focus accuracy algorithm to determine and select a preferred optimal focal distance, and collecting a pixel data image; advancing the slide in at least one of an X direction and a Y direction by a distance sufficient to encompass a magnified image of the specimen adjacent to a previously collected pixel data image, with a marginal area of overlap along a margin with the previously collected pixel data image, and collecting a next pixel data image; continuing to advance over the slide, and to collect pixel data images with marginal areas of overlap until the successive pixel data images encompass at least a predetermined portion of the specimen, each pixel data image corresponding to an image segment in a composite image that overlaps other said image segments at a respective said marginal area, such that at least two pixel data characterizations of the respective marginal area are provided in the first and second digital images; analyzing pixel data in the marginal areas of overlap by applying at least one numeric image analysis algorithm correlated with image quality to at least two pixel data sets in corresponding areas, and obtaining a sign and difference value for an output of the at least one numeric image analysis algorithm; discriminating among the pixel data images based on the difference values for the marginal areas of the pixel data sets in the composite image. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification