Paper
16 April 1996 Segmentation technique of complex image scene for an automatic blood-cell-counting system
Vassili A. Kovalev, Andrei Y. Grigoriev, Hyo-Sok Ahn, Nickolai K. Myshkin
Author Affiliations +
Abstract
The paper presents a method for automatic localization and segmentation of white blood cells (WBCs) with color images to develop an efficient automated leukocyte counter by using pattern recognition-based slide readers. The segmentation techniques consist of the following steps. On the first a smear image acquired at the low magnification. The next is extraction of WBC nuclei by chromatic properties and image mapping. After this the cells clustered according to the distances between them and regions of interest (ROI) determined. Image of ROI captured at the high magnification and its validity checked. Then nucleus segments extracted and grouped into prospective cells. The detection of blood cells is based on the intensity of G image plane and the balance between G and B intensity of the nuclei. A cytoplasm region approximated by a circle area around the nucleus center. Finally, the cytoplasm area cleaned considering a priori knowledge of background color and possible cell occlusions. The result of the segmentation is presented in the form of a cell location list and image template in which every pixel is assigned to a label such as Background, Cytoplasm, Nucleus, Hole, etc. The proposed technique has yielded correct segmentation of complex image scenes for blood smears prepared by ordinary manual staining methods in 99% of tested images.
© (1996) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Vassili A. Kovalev, Andrei Y. Grigoriev, Hyo-Sok Ahn, and Nickolai K. Myshkin "Segmentation technique of complex image scene for an automatic blood-cell-counting system", Proc. SPIE 2710, Medical Imaging 1996: Image Processing, (16 April 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.237986
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Cited by 10 scholarly publications.
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KEYWORDS
Image segmentation

Blood

Image analysis

Image processing

Colorimetry

Image acquisition

Image processing algorithms and systems

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