True color image analysis of fluorochromic bone biopsies

A true color digital image processing technique has been developed to search for specified colors in a medical image for quantification of areas of interest. The technique is clinically being used on microscopic fluorochromic bone biopsy images to quantify new bone growth. Based on a user supplied training set, a multispectral classification of pixel values is performed and used for segmenting the image. Good results were obtained when compared to manual tracings of new bone growth performed by an orthopedic surgeon. At a 95% confidence level, the hypothesis that there is no difference between the two methods can be accepted. Work is in progress to test bone biopsies with different colored stains and further optimize the analysis process using three-dimensional spectral ordering techniques.<>