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A medical diagnostic apparatus (A) generates medical diagnostic data which is reconstructed by an imager (B) into an electronic image representation. The electronic image representation includes an array of digital pixel values which represent a gray scale intensity of a man-readable image displayed

A medical diagnostic apparatus (A) generates medical diagnostic data which is reconstructed by an imager (B) into an electronic image representation. The electronic image representation includes an array of digital pixel values which represent a gray scale intensity of a man-readable image displayed on a video monitor (62). An image improving circuit (C) replaces each pixel value I(i,j) with an improved pixel value I′(i,j) defined as follows: I′(i,j)=G(i,j)[I(i,j)-I(i,j)]+I(i,j), where G(i,j) is a transfer function uniquely defined for each pixel and is the mean of pixel values of neighboring pixels. The transfer function is based on a self-similarity value which is derived by comparing (i) a variation between the pixel value I(i,j) and pixel values in a first surrounding ring with (ii) a variation between the pixel value I(i,j) and pixel values in a second, larger surrounding ring. A zoom circuit (D) enlarges a selected portion of an improved image. Empty or unfilled pixel values I(inter) are interpolated from a combination of an average of neighboring pixel values I(avg) and a fractal value. The fractal value is a combination of a random number and a weighting factor R determined in accordance with the average self-similarity value of the neighboring filled pixels, i.e.: I(inter)=I(avg)+Rㆍ(random#).

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for generating medical diagnostic image representations, the apparatus comprising: a medical diagnostic apparatus for generating diagnostic data indicative of a preselected image region of a patient; an imager for generating an electronic image representation from the diagnostic data, t

An apparatus for generating medical diagnostic image representations, the apparatus comprising: a medical diagnostic apparatus for generating diagnostic data indicative of a preselected image region of a patient; an imager for generating an electronic image representation from the diagnostic data, the electronic image representation including a pixel value corresponding to each pixel of a pixel array, each pixel value is indicative of an image property of a corresponding subregion of the image region of the patient; a self-similarity value generating means for generating a self-similarity value corresponding to each pixel, the self-similarity value generating means being operatively connected with the imager to receive pixel values therefrom, each self-similarity value varying in accordance with a ratio of (i) a difference between the corresponding pixel value and a first set of pixel values contiguous to and surrounding the corresponding pixel value and (ii) the corresponding pixel value and a second set of pixel values contiguous to and surrounding the first set of pixel values; an image improvement means for replacing each pixel value by a combination of the replaced pixel value and an average of surrounding pixel values, the combination being weighted in accordance with the corresponding self-similarity value, the image improvement means being operatively connected with the imager and the self-similarity value generating means.