title: Nonlocal means-based speckle filtering for ultrasound images.
abstract: In image processing, restoration is expected to improve the qualitative inspection of the image and the performance of quantitative image analysis techniques. In this paper, an adaptation of the nonlocal (NL)-means filter is proposed for speckle reduction in ultrasound (US) images. Originally developed for additive white Gaussian noise, we propose to use a Bayesian framework to derive a NL-means filter adapted to a relevant ultrasound noise model. Quantitative results on synthetic data show the performances of the proposed method compared to well-established and state-of-the-art methods. Results on real images demonstrate that the proposed method is able to preserve accurately edges and structural details of the image.
authors.affiliation: University of Rennes ICNRS UMR 6074, IRISA, Campus de Beaulieu, F-35042 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Pierrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coupé
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hellier
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kervrann
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barillot
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016477:Artifacts; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*