<p>This thesis consider enhancement of X-ray fluoroscopy image sequences. The purpose is to investigate the possibilities to improve the image enhancement in Biplanar 500, a fluoroscopy system developed by Swemac Medical Appliances, for use in orthopedic surgery.</p><p>An algorithm based on recursive filtering, for temporal noise suppression, and motion compensation, for avoidance of motion artifacts, is developed and tested on image sequences from the system. The motion compensation is done both globally, by using the theory of the shift theorem, and locally, by subtracting consecutive frames. Also a new type of contrast adjustment is presented, received with an unlinear mapping function.</p><p>The result is a noise reduced image sequence that shows no blurring effects upon motion. A brief study of the result shows, that both the image sequences with this algorithm applied and the contrast adjusted images are preferred by orthopedists compared to the present images in the system.</p>

This thesis focuses on the design of a foveated stereo video compression algorithm for visual telepresence applications. In a typical telepresence application, a user at the local site views real-time stereo video recorded and transmitted from a robotic camera platform located at a remote site. The robotic camera platform tracks the user's head motion producing the sensation of being present at the remote site. The design of the stereo video compression algorithm revolved around a fast spatio-temporal block-based motion estimation algorithm, with a foveated SPIHT algorithm used to compress and foveate the independent frames and error residues. Also, the redundancy between the left and right video streams was exploited by disparity compensation. Finally, position feedback from the robotic camera platform was used to perform global motion compensation, increasing the compression performance without raising computation requirements. The algorithm was analysed by introducing the above mentioned components separately. It was found that each component increased the compression rate significantly, producing compressed video with similar compression and quality as MPEG2. The implementation of the algorithm did not meet the real-time requirements on the experiment computers. However, the algorithm does not contain any intrinsic delays. Therefore, given faster processors or optimized software implementation, the design should be able to run in real-time.

This thesis consider enhancement of X-ray fluoroscopy image sequences. The purpose is to investigate the possibilities to improve the image enhancement in Biplanar 500, a fluoroscopy system developed by Swemac Medical Appliances, for use in orthopedic surgery. An algorithm based on recursive filtering, for temporal noise suppression, and motion compensation, for avoidance of motion artifacts, is developed and tested on image sequences from the system. The motion compensation is done both globally, by using the theory of the shift theorem, and locally, by subtracting consecutive frames. Also a new type of contrast adjustment is presented, received with an unlinear mapping function. The result is a noise reduced image sequence that shows no blurring effects upon motion. A brief study of the result shows, that both the image sequences with this algorithm applied and the contrast adjusted images are preferred by orthopedists compared to the present images in the system.

This thesis focuses on the design of a foveated stereo video compression algorithm for visual telepresence applications. In a typical telepresence application, a user at the local site views real-time stereo video recorded and transmitted from a robotic camera platform located at a remote site. The robotic camera platform tracks the user's head motion producing the sensation of being present at the remote site. The design of the stereo video compression algorithm revolved around a fast spatio-temporal block-based motion estimation algorithm, with a foveated SPIHT algorithm used to compress and foveate the independent frames and error residues. Also, the redundancy between the left and right video streams was exploited by disparity compensation. Finally, position feedback from the robotic camera platform was used to perform global motion compensation, increasing the compression performance without raising computation requirements. The algorithm was analysed by introducing the above mentioned components separately. It was found that each component increased the compression rate significantly, producing compressed video with similar compression and quality as MPEG2. The implementation of the algorithm did not meet the real-time requirements on the experiment computers. However, the algorithm does not contain any intrinsic delays. Therefore, given faster processors or optimized software implementation, the design should be able to run in real-time.

Αντικείμενο της διπλωματικής εργασίας αποτελεί η κλιμακοθετήσιμη κωδικοποίηση βίντεο (scalable video coding) με χρήση του μετασχηματισμού wavelet. Η κλιμακοθετήσιμη κωδικοποίηση βίντεο αποτελεί ένα πλαίσιο εργασίας, όπου από μια ενιαία συμπιεσμένη ακολουθία βίντεο μπορούν να προκύψουν αναπαραστάσεις του βίντεο με διαφορετική ποιότητα, ανάλυση και ρυθμό πλαισίων. Η κλιμακοθετησιμότητα του βίντεο αποτελεί σημαντική ιδιότητα ενός συστήματος στις μέρες μας, όπου το video-streaming και η επικοινωνία με βίντεο γίνεται μέσω μη αξιόπιστων μέσων διάδοσης και μεταξύ τερματικών με διαφορετικές δυνατότητες Στην εργασία αυτή αρχικά μελετάται ο μετασχηματισμός wavelet, ο οποίος αποτελεί το βασικό εργαλείο για την κλιμακοθετήσιμη κωδικοποίηση τόσο εικόνων όσο και ακολουθιών βίντεο. Στην συνέχεια, αναλύουμε την ιδέα της ανάλυσης πολλαπλής διακριτικής ικανότητας (multiresolution analysis) και την υλοποίηση του μετασχηματισμού wavelet με χρήση του σχήματος ανόρθωσης (lifting scheme), η οποία προκάλεσε νέο ενδιαφέρον στο χώρο της κλιμακοθετήσιμης κωδικοποίησης βίντεο. Τα κλιμακοθετήσιμα συστήματα κωδικοποίησης βίντεο διακρίνονται σε δύο κατηγορίες: σε αυτά που εφαρμόζουν το μετασχηματισμό wavelet πρώτα στο πεδίο του χρόνου και έπειτα στο πεδίο του χώρου και σε αυτά που εφαρμόζουν το μετασχηματισμό wavelet πρώτα στο πεδίο του χώρου και έπειτα στο πεδίο του χρόνου. Εμείς εστιάzουμε στη πρώτη κατηγορία και αναλύουμε τη διαδικάσια κλιμακοθετήσιμης κωδικοποίησης/αποκωδικοποίησης καθώς και τα επιμέρους κομμάτια από τα οποία αποτελείται. Τέλος, εξετάζουμε τον τρόπο με τον οποίο διάφορες παράμετρoι επηρεάζουν την απόδοση ενός συστήματος κλιμακοθετήσιμης κωδικοποίησης βίντεο και παρουσιάζουμε τα αποτελέσματα από τις πειραματικές μετρήσεις. Βασιζόμενοι στα πειραματικά αποτελέσματα προτείνουμε έναν προσαρμοστικό τρόπο επιλογής των παραμέτρων με σκοπό τη βελτίωση της απόδοσης και συγχρόνως τη μείωση της πολυπλοκότητας. / In this master thesis we examine the scalable video coding based on the wavelet transform. Scalable video coding refers to a compression framework where content representations with different quality, resolution, and frame-rate can be extracted from parts of one compressed bitstream. Scalable video coding based on motion-compensated spatiotemporal wavelet decompositions is becoming increasingly popular, as it provides coding performance competitive with state-of-the-art coders, while trying to accommodate varying network bandwidths and different receiver capabilities (frame-rate, display size, CPU, etc.) and to provide solutions for network congestion or video server design. In this master thesis we investigate the wavelet transform, the multiresolution analysis and the lifting scheme. Then, we focus on the scalable video coding/decoding. There exist two different architectures of scalable video coding. The first one performs the wavelet transform firstly on the temporal direction and then performs the spatial wavelet decomposition. The other architecture performs firstly the spatial wavelet transform and then the temporal decomposition. We focus on the first architecture, also known as t+2D scalable coding systems. Several coding parameters affect the performance of the scalable video coding scheme such as the number of temporal levels and the interpolation filter used for subpixel accuracy. We have conducted extensive experiments in order to test the influence of these parameters. The influence of these parameters proves to be dependent on the video content. Thus, we present an adaptive way of choosing the value of these parameters based on the video content. Experimental results show that the proposed method not only significantly improves the performance but reduces the complexity of the coding procedure.

Ultrasound is a well-established tool for medical imaging. It is non-invasive and relatively inexpensive, but the severe attenuation caused by propagation through tissue limits its effectiveness for deep imaging. In recent years, the ready availability of fast, inexpensive computer hardware has facilitated the adoption of signal coding and compression techniques to counteract the effects of attenuation. Despite widespread investigation of the topic, published opinions vary as to the relative suitability of discrete-phase-modulated and frequency-modulated (or continuous-phase-modulated) signals for ultrasonic imaging applications. This thesis compares the performance of discrete binary-phase coded pulses to that of frequency-modulated pulses at the higher imaging frequencies at which the effects of attenuation are most severe. The performance of linear and non-linear frequency modulated pulses with optimal side-lobe characteristics is compared to that of complementary binary-phase coded pulses by simulation and experiment. Binary-phase coded pulses are shown to be more robust to the affects of attenuation and non-ideal transducers. The comparatively poor performance of frequency-modulated pulses is explained in terms of the spectral characteristics of the signals and filters required to reduce side-lobes to levels acceptable for imaging purposes. In theory, complementary code sets like bi-phase Golay pairs offer optimum side-lobe performance at the expense of a reduction in frame rate. In practice, misalignment caused by motion in the medium can have a severe impact on imaging performance. A novel motioncompensated imaging algorithm designed to reduce the occurrence of motion artefacts and eliminate the reduction in frame-rate associated with complementary-coding is presented. This is initially applied to conventional sequential-scan B-mode imaging then adapted for use in synthetic aperture B-mode imaging. Simulation results are presented comparing the performance of the motion-compensated sequential-scan and synthetic aperture systems with that of simulated systems using uncoded and frequency-modulated excitation pulses.

In this thesis, a low bit rate video coding system based on three-dimensional (3-D) wavelet coding is studied. In addition to the initial motivation to make use of the motion compensated wavelet based coding schemes, the other techniques that do not utilize the motion compensation in their coding procedures have also been considered on equal footing. The 3-D wavelet transform (WT) algorithm is based on the &ldquo / group of frames&rdquo / (GOF) concept. The group of eight frames are decomposed both temporally and spatially to their coarse and detail parts. The decomposition process utilizes both orthogonal and bi-orthogonal wavelet analysis filters. The transform coefficients are coded using an embedded image coding algorithm, called the &ldquo / Two-Dimensional Set Partitioning in Hierarchical Trees&rdquo / (2-D SPIHT). Due to its nature, the 2-D SPIHT is applied to the individual subband frames. In the reconstruction phase, the 2-D SPIHT decoding algorithm and the wavelet synthesis filters are employed, respectively. The Peak Signal to Noise Ratios (PSNRs) are used as a quality measure of the reconstructed frames. The investigations reveal that among several factors, the multi-level (de)composition is the dominant one effective both on the signal compression and the PSNR level. The encoded videos compressed to the ratio of 1:9 are reconstructed with the PSNR of about 30 dB in the best cases.

This thesis belongs to the research line of Biomedical Imaging Tecnologies and proposes as main objective to develop and research spatio-temporal non-rigid registration methods to estimate and compesate motion in cardiac magnetic resonance sequences and to validate and verify the suitability of those techniques in the clinical environment. / -

Le traitement des arythmies cardiaques par ablation radiofréquence est une procédure thérapeutique permettant de restaurer un rythme normal par destruction thermique des tissus arythmogènes. A l'heure actuelle, l'intervention est réalisée sans imagerie temps réel permettant de visualiser la lésion pendant l'ablation. La thermométrie IRM permet de mesurer la température du tissu en chaque pixel et d'estimer directement l'étendue de la lésion via le calcul de la dose thermique cumulée. Si cette technique est déjà établie pour guider l'ablation de tumeurs dans différents organes, elle reste difficile à mettre en œuvre sur le cœur, notamment à cause des mouvements de respiration et de contraction myocardique. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, une méthode de thermométrie cardiaque a été implémentée pour réaliser une cartographie temps réel de la température du myocarde en condition de respiration libre. Plusieurs séquences IRM rapides ont été développées pour permettre l'acquisition d'environ 5 coupes par battement cardiaque avec une taille de voxel de 1.6X1.6X3 mm3. Plusieurs solutions de réduction des mouvements hors plan de coupe ont été évaluées : positionnement des coupes dans le sens principal du déplacement, suivi dynamique de la position des coupes en fonction de l'état respiratoire (navigateur, mesure de la position du cathéter). Le mouvement résiduel et les artéfacts de susceptibilité associés sont corrigés par des algorithmes temps réels pour permettre une précision de la thermométrie IRM à ±2°C sur les ventricules. Ce protocole a été utilisé avec succès pour le suivi d'ablations radiofréquences chez la brebis (N=3), permettant une corrélation (R=0.87) entre la dose thermique et la taille réelle des lésions induites. Les résultats sont très prometteurs quant à la pertinence de cette mesure pour une estimation en ligne de l'étendue de la lésion pendant l'ablation. Ces méthodes permettent d'envisager une évaluation clinique à court terme. / Radiofrequency ablation is a therapeutic procedure for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia by inducing a local necrosis of the arrhythmogenic tissue. This intervention is currently performed without online imaging of the lesion formation during radiofrequency delivery. MR thermometry provides a monitoring of temperature in the targeted tissue in each pixel and an immediate estimation of lesion via the calculation of the thermal dose. If this technique is well established for the guidance of tumor ablation in various organs, it remains challenging in the heart due to motion (breathing and myocardial contraction). In this work, a cardiac MR thermometry method was developed to perform a real-time temperature mapping of the heart under free-breathing conditions. Several MR pulse sequences were designed to ensure the acquisition of up to 5 slices per heartbeat with a voxel size of 1.6X1.6X3 mm3. Different solutions of minimization of out-of-plane motion were evaluated: alignment of the slices in the main direction of displacement, dynamic update of slice position depending on the respiratory state (echo-navigator, measure of the catheter position). Residual in-plane motion and associated susceptibility artifacts were corrected by real-time algorithms to allow a precision of MR thermometry of ±2°C in ventricles. This protocol was successfully used for the monitoring of radiofrequency ablation in sheep (N=3), allowing a correlation (R=87) between thermal dose maps and sizes of created lesions. These results are promising regarding the relevance of this measure for an inline estimation of the lesion extent during ablation.

No description available.