Endoscopic Image Fusion with Motion-Weighted Exposure Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical imaging during procedures like lithotripsy is hindered by complex exposure sequences and varying conditions, leading to over-exposed and under-exposed regions, halo effects, and motion distractions, which degrade image clarity and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
An image processing method that combines multiple images using a weighted metric map generated from motion, contrast, saturation, and exposure metrics to enhance image fusion, preserving desirable features while minimizing undesirable effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple images with varying exposure levels are captured to handle complex exposure conditions, then image information coverage is improved, but image clarity deteriorates due to over-exposed and under-exposed regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting exposure levels across multiple images captured at different exposure settings. By varying the exposure parameter and then fusing these images with different weighted metrics, the system recovers detail information from both over-exposed and under-exposed regions while maintaining overall image clarity through computational fusion.
2Reliability
If images are captured during active laser treatment, then treatment monitoring capability is improved, but image quality deteriorates due to laser flashing and motion distractions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes harmful elements from the images through the weighted metric map. By calculating motion metrics and contrast metrics, the system identifies regions affected by laser flashing and moving particles, then suppresses these distracting elements in the fused image while preserving the underlying anatomical and treatment information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of motion distractions and laser flashing into useful information. By using motion metrics derived from comparing multiple images, the system identifies what is moving (particles, flashes) and uses this information to selectively suppress these elements in the final fused image, turning the disturbance into a means for improving image quality.
3Ease of operation
If standard image capture is used during lithotripsy, then procedural simplicity is maintained, but visual accuracy deteriorates due to halo effects and exposure artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple images captured under varying exposure conditions into a single fused image that combines the advantages of each. By integrating information from multiple exposure levels and applying weighted metric maps, the system produces a final image with enhanced visual accuracy that eliminates halo effects and exposure artifacts while maintaining procedural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods related to combing multiple images are disclosed. An example method of combining multiple images obtained by an endoscope includes obtaining a first input image formed from a first plurality of pixels, wherein a first pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a first characteristic having a first value. The method also includes obtaining a second input image formed from a second plurality of pixels, wherein a second pixel of the second plurality of pixels includes a second characteristic having a second value. The method also includes subtracting the first value from the second value to generate a motion metric and generating a weighted metric map of the second input image using the motion metric.