title: Computer-assisted bone age assessment: graphical user interface for image processing and comparison.
abstract: The current study is part of a project resulting in a computer-assisted analysis of a hand radiograph yielding an assessment of skeletal maturity. The image analysis is based on features selected from six regions of interest. At various stages of skeletal development different image processing problems have to be addressed. At the early stage, feature extraction is based on Lee filtering followed by the random Gibbs fields and mathematical morphology. Once the fusion starts, wavelet decomposition methods are implemented. The user interface displays the closest neighbors to each image under consideration. Results show the sensitivity of different regions to both stages of development and certain feature sensitivity within each region. At the early stage of development, the distal features are more reliable indicators, whereas at the stage of epiphyseal fusion, a larger dynamic range of middle features makes them more sensitive. In the current study, a graphical user interface has been designed and implemented for testing the image processing routines and comparing the results of quantitative image analysis with the visual interpretation of extracted regions of interest. The user interface may also serve as a teaching tool. At the later stage of the project it will be used as a classification tool.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Electronics, Institute of Electronics, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland. pietka@polsl.gliwice.pl.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pietka
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gertych
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pospiechâ Euro Kurkowska
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Vincente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gilzanz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014584:User-Computer Interface