Application of wavelet analysis in medical image fusion

In practical clinic application, the 3D reconstruction of the single-modality medical image (CT, MRI) can not provide enough information for clinical doctors. Because of a different imaging mechanism and highly complexity of body tissues and structures, different modality medical images provide non-overlay complementary information. Fusion rules of maximum, local gradient and area energy based on wavelet transform are advanced. Compared fusion results of CT and MRI images are given, which show the proposed method based on the area energy fusion rule can achieve better fusion performance than other usual fusion rules. The fusion image can combine the merits of two original images, providing not only the exact orientation reference of pathological changes but also the clear pathological tissue.