OCT Image Contrast Adjustment for Layer Boundary Discrimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing OCT apparatuses face challenges in accurately discriminating layer boundaries during manual adjustment of information designating boundaries in tomographic images, particularly when layer boundaries are unclear, leading to reduced accuracy in obtaining precise layer positions.
Innovation Solution
A tomographic image processing apparatus with an acquiring unit for acquiring images, a display control unit for displaying images and information designating boundaries, and an adjustment unit that adjusts contrast to enhance the brightness difference between indicated layers, allowing operators to accurately discriminate layer boundaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operator manually changes the position of information designating boundary of layers, then the layer position can be adjusted, but the operator cannot accurately discriminate the boundary of layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the contrast parameter of the tomographic image. When a layer boundary is selected for manual adjustment, the system increases the contrast in the region surrounding that boundary, which enhances the brightness difference and makes the boundary more visually distinguishable to the operator, thereby resolving the contradiction between manual adjustability and boundary discrimination accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary contrast enhancement before the operator actually adjusts the layer boundary position. By pre-processing the image to emphasize the selected boundary region, the operator is provided with improved visual information beforehand, enabling more accurate manual adjustment without requiring the boundary to be inherently clear in the original image
2Adaptability or versatility
If the layer boundary is not clear, then manual adjustment is enabled, but the accuracy for obtaining layer position is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the contrast parameter based on the operator's selection of a layer boundary. When a boundary is selected for manual adjustment, the contrast enhancement is applied specifically to that region, transforming the image parameters to make previously unclear boundaries visible and discriminable, thus maintaining measurement precision even when manual adjustment is required
Solution Approach 2:
The contrast enhancement function acts as an intermediary between the unclear layer boundary and the operator's visual perception. By introducing this intermediate processing step, the system bridges the gap between the ambiguous original image and the operator's need for clear boundary discrimination, enabling accurate manual adjustment without directly modifying the underlying layer structure
Data Source
AI summary
An ophthalmologic examination apparatus capable of accurately discriminating a boundary between layers indicated by an operator (user) among boundaries of an object to be inspected, when the operator manually changes a position of information designating boundary of layers includes: an acquiring unit configured to acquire a tomographic image of an object to be inspected; a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display the tomographic image and information designating boundary of layers in the tomographic image; and an adjustment unit configured to adjust, in a case where a boundary of layers is indicated in the displayed information, contrast of the tomographic image such that a brightness difference between layers corresponding to the indicated boundary in the tomographic image becomes large.