An Interactive Multiscale Framework for Enhancement and Visualization of 2D and 3D Image Data

Abstract

We present an interactive, multiscale framework for enhancement and de-noising of images and volumes for the purposes of medical image visualization. Among the visualization issues addressed are noise suppression and contrast enhancement. Previous research in this area has concentrated on non-linear operations performed either on the images or their decomposed wavelet coefficients. The vast majority of this research uses global operations over the whole image and sets standard operation parameters for all images. We describe novel non-linear operators and visualization methods that allow the operation parameters to be tailored to an unfamiliar image by the viewer, thereby increasing the adaptability and effectiveness of the enhancement process.