Symmetric image registration

This paper presents an original non-rigid image registration approach, which tends to improve the registration by establishing a symmetric image interdependence. In order to gather more information about the image transformation it measures the image similarity in both registration directions. The presented solution is based on the interaction between the images involved in the registration process. Images interact through forces, which according to Newton’s action–reaction law form a symmetric relationship. These forces may transform both of the images, although in our implementation one of the images remains fixed. The experiments performed to demonstrate the advantages of the symmetric registration approach involve the registration of simple objects, the recovery of synthetic deformation, and the inter-patient registration of real images of the head. The results show that the symmetric approach improves both the registration consistency and the registration correctness.