Fluorescence Image Contrast via Digital Color Component Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fluorescence images captured by microscopy are challenging to process due to low contrast between cell portions dyed with fluorescence and background, as existing techniques fail to effectively separate true fluorescence colors from mixed color components detected by color imaging elements.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that utilize a color correction circuit to determine and reduce specific color components based on color filter spectral characteristics, employing linear matrix transformation to isolate true fluorescence colors and enhance contrast by removing mixed color components, thereby improving visibility of fluorescence images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If black balance correction is performed by manually specifying the background portion, then the contrast between cell portion and background is improved, but the operation complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically identifies and processes the background portion without requiring manual user specification. The control unit autonomously determines the background region and performs black balance correction, eliminating the need for user intervention while maintaining improved contrast between cell and background portions.
2Measurement precision
If color components are reduced based on color filter spectral characteristics, then the true fluorescence colors are isolated and contrast is enhanced, but the device complexity increases due to additional processing circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The color correction circuit performs multiple functions: it reduces mixed color components, isolates true fluorescence colors, and enhances contrast simultaneously. By integrating these functions into a single processing unit that operates on the captured image data, the system achieves effective fluorescence isolation without requiring multiple separate processing stages or additional hardware components.
3Measurement precision
If additional filters are added to the imaging apparatus to improve fluorescence image quality, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical optical filters with a digital signal processing approach. Instead of adding mechanical filters to physically block unwanted wavelengths, the system uses color correction circuits to mathematically remove mixed color components from the captured image data. This substitution of mechanical filtering with electronic processing maintains fluorescence image quality while avoiding the complexity and cost of additional optical components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively generates fluorescence images with improved contrast between the background and fluorescence portions, allowing for better observation and reducing the need for additional filters, which simplifies the imaging apparatus and enhances image clarity.
Implementation Method 1
exposes a specimen dyed with a fluorescent dye to excitation light and images fluorescence
Implementation Method 2
images fluorescence by a color imaging element
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus includes: an interface unit configured to input an image signal from an imaging apparatus that exposes a specimen dyed with a fluorescent dye to excitation light and images fluorescence by a color imaging element; and a color correction circuit configured to retain information on a percentage of each of a component of a second color and a component of a third color with respect to a component of a first color corresponding to the excitation light in the image signal, which is determined in advance based on color filter spectral characteristics of the color imaging element, and reduce each of an amount corresponding to the percentage of the component of the second color and an amount corresponding to the percentage of the component of the third color from the input image signal.