Multilevel Wavelet Feature Statistics for Efficient Retrieval, Transmission, and Display of Medical Images by Hybrid Encoding

Many common modalities of medical images acquire high-resolution and multispectral images, which are subsequently processed, visualized, and transmitted by subsampling. These subsampled images compromise resolution for processing ability, thus risking loss of significant diagnostic information. A hybrid multiresolution vector quantizer (HMVQ) has been developed exploiting the statistical characteristics of the features in a multiresolution wavelet-transformed domain. The global codebook generated by HMVQ, using a combination of multiresolution vector quantization and residual scalar encoding, retains edge information better and avoids significant blurring observed in reconstructed medical images by other well-known encoding schemes at low bit rates. Two specific image modalities, namely, X-ray radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have been considered as examples. The ability of HMVQ in reconstructing high-fidelity images at low bit rates makes it particularly desirable for medical image encoding and fast transmission of 3D medical images generated from multiview stereo pairs for visual communications.

[1]  Allen Gersho,et al.  Vector quantization and signal compression , 1991, The Kluwer international series in engineering and computer science.

[2]  Michel Barlaud,et al.  Image coding using wavelet transform , 1992, IEEE Trans. Image Process..

[3]  Dah-Jye Lee,et al.  Analysis of sequential complex images, using feature extraction and two-dimensional cepstrum techniques , 1989 .

[4]  Sunanda Mitra,et al.  Statistical and adaptive approaches for segmentation and vector source encoding of medical images , 2002, SPIE Medical Imaging.

[5]  Sanjit K. Mitra,et al.  Vector set partitioning with classified successive refinement VQ for embedded wavelet image coding , 1998, ISCAS '98. Proceedings of the 1998 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (Cat. No.98CH36187).

[6]  Janusz Konrad,et al.  Visual communications of tomorrow: natural, efficient, and flexible , 2001, IEEE Commun. Mag..

[7]  Robert M. Gray,et al.  An Algorithm for Vector Quantizer Design , 1980, IEEE Trans. Commun..

[8]  Sunanda Mitra,et al.  Digital stereo-optic disc image analyzer for monitoring progression of glaucoma , 2002, SPIE Medical Imaging.

[9]  K. Muller,et al.  Incomplete 3-D multiview representation of video objects , 1999 .

[10]  Vadim Michailovich Kustov.  Adaptive wavelet filter design for digital signal processing systems , 2000 .

[11]  Shen-Chuan Tai,et al.  Two fast nearest neighbor searching algorithms for image vector quantization , 1996, IEEE Trans. Commun..

[12]  Sunanda Mitra,et al.  High fidelity adaptive vector quantization at very low bit rates for progressive transmission of radiographic images , 1999, J. Electronic Imaging.

[13]  Aaron D. Wyner,et al.  Coding Theorems for a Discrete Source With a Fidelity CriterionInstitute of Radio Engineers, International Convention Record, vol. 7, 1959. , 1993 .

[14]  Jens-Rainer Ohm,et al.  Incomplete 3-D multiview representation of video objects , 1999, IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. Video Technol..

[15]  Jerome M. Shapiro,et al.  Embedded image coding using zerotrees of wavelet coefficients , 1993, IEEE Trans. Signal Process..

[16]  William A. Pearlman,et al.  A new, fast, and efficient image codec based on set partitioning in hierarchical trees , 1996, IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. Video Technol..

[17]  Sunanda Mitra,et al.  Digital stereo image analyzer for generating automated 3-D measures of optic disc deformation in glaucoma , 2002, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.

[18]  Shuyu Yang,et al.  Performance analysis from rate distortion theory of wavelet domain vector quantization encoding , 2002 .

[19]  Forest Baskett,et al.  An Algorithm for Finding Nearest Neighbors , 1975, IEEE Transactions on Computers.

[20]  Sunanda Mitra,et al.  An optimized hybrid vector quantization for efficient source encoding , 2002, The 2002 45th Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems, 2002. MWSCAS-2002..

[21]  R. Weale.  Vision. A Computational Investigation Into the Human Representation and Processing of Visual Information. David Marr , 1983 .

[22]  J-R. Olm.  Encoding and reconstruction of multiview video objects , 1999 .

[23]  T. Berger.  Rate-Distortion Theory , 2003 .

[24]  Sunanda Mitra,et al.  Adaptive fuzzy leader clustering of complex data sets in pattern recognition , 1992, IEEE Trans. Neural Networks.

[25]  Sunanda Mitra,et al.  Efficient storage and management of radiographic images using a novel wavelet-based multiscale vector quantizer , 2002, SPIE Medical Imaging.

[26]  Vadim Kustov,et al.  Real Time Adaptive PR-QMF Bank Design for Image Coding Using Interior-Point Algorithm , 2000 .

[27]  Leif Neve,et al.  WebMIRS: web-based medical information retrieval system , 1997, Electronic Imaging.

[28]  Xiaolin Wu,et al.  Acceleration of the LBG algorithm , 1994, IEEE Trans. Commun..

[29]  M. Barlaud.  Wavelets in Image Communication , 1994 .

[30]  Sarah A. Rajala,et al.  Subband/VQ coding of color images with perceptually optimal bit allocation , 1994, IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. Video Technol..

[31]  P. G. Poonacha,et al.  A new MMSE encoding algorithm for vector quantization , 1991, [Proceedings] ICASSP 91: 1991 International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing.

[32]  Oleh John Tretiak.  Rate Distortion Theory: A Mathematical Basis for Data Compression, Toby Berger. Prentice-Hall, Urbana, IL (1971) , 1974 .

[33]  David L. Neuhoff,et al.  Reduced storage tree-structured vector quantization , 1993, 1993 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing.

[34]  K. Rose.  Deterministic annealing for clustering, compression, classification, regression, and related optimization problems , 1998, Proc. IEEE.

[35]  M. Reza Soleymani,et al.  A fast MMSE encoding technique for vector quantization , 1989, IEEE Trans. Commun..

[36]  Sunanda Mitra,et al.  Visualization of the three-dimensional topography of the optic nerve head through a passive stereo vision model , 1999, J. Electronic Imaging.

[37]  E. Ruiz.  An algorithm for finding nearest neighbours in (approximately) constant average time , 1986 .