A New Fusion Algorithm for MRI and Color Images Based on Mutual Information in Wavelet Domain

A new fusion algorithm for MRI and color images based on calculating mutual information in wavelet domain has been proposed. Usually mutual information in an image fusion algorithm is calculated in time/space domain. The new algorithm calculates mutual information in wavelet domain based on the local properties of wavelet transformation, which will be used as criterion to select fusion strategies. The fusion strategies will be chosen not only depending on their frequencies characters but also depending on mutual information values. The new algorithm will not only get better fusion results but will also reduce processing time by avoiding inverse transform to gettime/space domain images repeatedly when changing fusion parameters in wavelet domain would be involved. Testing results have confirmed advantages of the new algorithm.