An automated video image for detection and tracking implanted myocardial markers

The authors developed an automatic system for detection and tracking of radiopaque implanted myocardial markers for heart-wall-motion studies. The system is based on a low-cost personal computer equipped with a specialized image-processing board. User-friendly software provides interaction between computer and operator through the use of a mouse and graphic menus. Marker detection is based on multiple frame processing using low-pass and matched filtering, adaptive prediction, noise masking, and multiple-cross-marker discrimination. Marker trajectories are displayed dynamically for interactive editing. The time required for a full analysis session of 120 frames, 10 to 20 markers each, is about 1 hour, with the operator required to be present for less than half of the time