Microscope Image Fusion in Linear Color Space for Fluorescence Contrast
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fluorescence images often have low contrast and brightness when overlaid with other images, making it difficult to identify fluorescent parts accurately.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that processes image data from a fluorescence image and a white light image in a linear color space, combining and converting them to a non-linear color space for improved visualization and contrast.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If fluorescence image data is overlaid with white light image data in conventional color space processing, then the combined image can be displayed, but the contrast and brightness of the fluorescent parts are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of color space representation from non-linear (conventional) to linear. By performing image processing operations in a linear color space where pixel values are directly proportional to light intensity, the patent enables proper mathematical combination of fluorescence and white light images. This parameter change preserves the intensity relationships and ensures that fluorescent parts maintain their contrast and brightness in the final overlay image.
2Reliability
If conventional image processing is used to combine fluorescence and white light images, then the processing is simpler, but the visualization quality and contrast are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by converting image data to a linear color space before performing any combination or processing operations. This pre-processing step establishes the correct mathematical foundation for subsequent image operations, ensuring that all processing steps work with properly scaled intensity values. The conversion is performed once at the beginning, and then standard processing operations can be applied with improved results.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system comprises one or more processors and one or more storage devices. The system is configured to receive first image data of a first image of an object from a first image sensor and receive second image data of a fluorescence image of the object from a second image sensor. Further, the system is configured to process the first image data and the second image data and generate combined image data of an output image of the object in a linear color space based on the processed first image data and the processed second image data. Additionally, the system is configured to convert the combined image data to a non-linear color space representation of the output image.