Some Sharpening and Registration Methods Applied to SPECT Images of Pediatric Brain Tumors

Abstract : This report describes initial experience with several image sharpening and registration tools and their applications in a longitudinal study of pediatric brain tumors (astrocytoma, medulloblastoma). Image sharpening is defined as the removal of unnecessary blurring of boundaries and shapes by some automatic method. We define registration as the superimposition or optimal matching of repeated pictures taken for a single patient over time or across different imaging modalities. A long-range goal is to develop, apply and extend these tools to extract the most clinically useful information from sets of serial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and magnetic resonance (MR) whole brain scans taken both pre- and post-surgery for roughly seventy pediatric patients per year over a period of several ears.