BACKGROUND: Multivariate imaging techniques such as dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) have been shown to provide valuable information for medical diagnosis. Even though these techniques provide new information, integrating and evaluating the much wider range of information is a challenging task for the human observer. This task may be assisted with the use of image fusion algorithms. METHODS: In this paper, image fusion based on Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA) is proposed for the first time. It is demonstrated that a priori knowledge about the data domain can be easily incorporated into the parametrisation of the KPCA, leading to task-oriented visualisations of the multivariate data. The results of the fusion process are compared with those of the well-known and established standard linear Principal Component Analysis (PCA) by means of temporal sequences of 3D MRI volumes from six patients who took part in a breast cancer screening study. RESULTS: The PCA and KPCA algorithms are able to integrate information from a sequence of MRI volumes into informative gray value or colour images. By incorporating a priori knowledge, the fusion process can be automated and optimised in order to visualise suspicious lesions with high contrast to normal tissue. CONCLUSION: Our machine learning based image fusion approach maps the full signal space of a temporal DCE-MRI sequence to a single meaningful visualisation with good tissue/lesion contrast and thus supports the radiologist during manual image evaluation.
BACKGROUND: Multivariate imaging techniques such as dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) have been shown to provide valuable information for medical diagnosis. Even though these techniques provide new information, integrating and evaluating the much wider range of information is a challenging task for the human observer. This task may be assisted with the use of image fusion algorithms. METHODS: In this paper, image fusion based on Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA) is proposed for the first time. It is demonstrated that a priori knowledge about the data domain can be easily incorporated into the parametrisation of the KPCA, leading to task-oriented visualisations of the multivariate data. The results of the fusion process are compared with those of the well-known and established standard linear Principal Component Analysis (PCA) by means of temporal sequences of 3D MRI volumes from six patients who took part in a breast cancer screening study. RESULTS: The PCA and KPCA algorithms are able to integrate information from a sequence of MRI volumes into informative gray value or colour images. By incorporating a priori knowledge, the fusion process can be automated and optimised in order to visualise suspicious lesions with high contrast to normal tissue. CONCLUSION: Our machine learning based image fusion approach maps the full signal space of a temporal DCE-MRI sequence to a single meaningful visualisation with good tissue/lesion contrast and thus supports the radiologist during manual image evaluation.
Authors: Michael A Jacobs; Peter B Barker; David A Bluemke; Cindy Maranto; Cheryl Arnold; Edward H Herskovits; Zaver Bhujwalla Journal: Radiology Date: 2003-10 Impact factor: 11.105
Authors: Nathaniel R Maddux; Sangeeta B Joshi; David B Volkin; John P Ralston; C Russell Middaugh Journal: J Pharm Sci Date: 2011-06-06 Impact factor: 3.534
Authors: Thorsten Twellmann; Anke Meyer-Baese; Oliver Lange; Simon Foo; Tim W Nattkemper Journal: Eng Appl Artif Intell Date: 2008-03 Impact factor: 6.212