About

Microscope image processing covers the use of digital image processing techniques to process, analyse and present images obtained from a microscope. Image processing techniques have been widely used in the last decade in medical imaging and the microscopic field received a consistent effort from researchers. The application of image processing activity to microscope images started with trials to improve the quality of images (improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio and of contrast, image restoration) through frequency filtering. There are microscopic images that be made suitable for viewing only after digital image processing is done on them. Also image processing techniques can be of special interest because they allow large scale statistical evaluation in addition to classical eye screening evaluation and are used in both sections of the pathology: cytology and histology. This technology has opened many doors for advanced development of clinical diagnostics and procedures. Such processing is now commonplace in a number of diverse fields such as medicine, biological research, cancer research, drug testing, metallurgy, etc. The techniques used in microscopic image processing vary slightly from the normal digital image processing. Special care has to be done so as to eliminate the creation of extra objects in the image due to noise in the devices.

DEFINITION
Karyotype analysis is a widespread procedure in cytogenetics to assess the possible presence of genetic defects. The procedure is lengthy and repetitive, so an automatic analysis would greatly help the cytogeneticist’s routine work. Hence, an automatic procedure to obtain the separated chromosomes, which are then ready for a subsequent classification step, would have significant implication. The procedure follows enhancement, extraction and classification. The limiting factors for efficiency could be image resolution, overlapped or over-segmented chromosomes, and presence of artifacts. Thus, the reliability and accuracy of the system developed largely depends on solving these issues. This research work offers implementations to overcome these challenges.