Image processing apparatus, method and storage medium

Claim 2

An image data processing apparatus comprising: radiation generation means for generating X-rays; two-dimensional X-ray sensor means for obtaining, as image data, the X-rays penetrating an object; object area extraction means for extracting an area of the object from an image represented by the image data obtained by said two-dimensional X-ray sensor means; limitation means for limiting the object area extracted by said object area extraction means; extraction means for extracting a feature quantity in the area limited by said limitation means; and gradation conversion means for determining a shape of a gradation conversion curve using, as a parameter, the feature quantity extracted by said extraction means, and performing gradation conversion of the image data using the gradation conversion curve whose shape has been determined, wherein said limitation means comparts the extracted object area in a certain ratio of the vertical axis of the extracted object area or a certain length in the vertical direction of the image and limits the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 3

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said object area extraction means extracts the area of the object by deleting a transparent area and an area being in contact with the transparent area within a certain distance.

Claim 4

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said object area extraction means extracts a lung area.

Claim 5

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said limitation means comparts a longest vertical line of the object area extracted by said object area extraction means in a certain ratio and limits the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 6

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said limitation means comparts a longest vertical line of the object area extracted by said object area extraction means in a certain ratio and limits the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 7

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said limitation means comparts a longest vertical line of the object area extracted by said object area extraction means in a certain ratio and limits the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 8

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said extraction means extracts as the feature quantity a value concerning a maximum pixel value in the area limited by said limitation means.

Claim 9

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said extraction means extracts as the feature quantity a value concerning a maximum pixel value in the area limited by said limitation means.

Claim 10

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said extraction means extracts as the feature quantity a value concerning a maximum pixel value in the area limited by said limitation means.

Claim 11

An image data processing method comprising: a radiation generation step of generating X-rays; a two-dimensional X-ray sensing step of obtaining, as image data, the X-rays penetrating an object; an object area extraction steps of extracting an area of the object from an image represented by the image data obtained in said two-dimensional X-ray sensing step; a limitation step of limiting the object area extracted in said object area extraction step; an extraction step of extracting a feature quantity in the area limited in said limitation step; and a gradation conversion step of determining a shape of a gradation conversion curve using, as a parameter, the feature quantity extracted in said extraction step and performing gradation conversion of the image data using the gradation conversion curve whose shape has been determined, wherein said limitation step includes comparting the extracted object area in a certain ratio of the vertical axis of the extracted object area or a certain length in the vertical direction of the image limiting the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 12

An image data processing method comprising: a radiation generation step of generating X-rays; a two-dimensional X-ray sensing step of obtaining, as image data, the X-rays penetrating an object; an object area extraction steps of extracting an area of the object from an image represented by the image data obtained in said two-dimensional X-ray sensing step; a limitation step of limiting the object area extracted in said object area extraction step; an extraction step of extracting a feature quantity in the area limited in said limitation step; and a gradation conversion step of determining a shape of a gradation conversion curve using, as a parameter, the feature quantity extracted in said extraction step and performing gradation conversion of the image data using the gradation conversion curve whose shape has been determined, wherein said limitation step includes comparting the extracted object area in a certain ratio of the vertical axis of the extracted object area or a certain length in the vertical direction of the image limiting the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 13

A recording medium which records a program to execute an image data processing method, said program recorded on said medium comprising: code for a radiation generation step of generating X-rays; code for a two-dimensional X-ray sensing step of obtaining as image data, the X-rays penetrating an object; code for an object area extraction step of extracting an area of the object from an image represented by the image data obtained in said two-dimensional X-ray sensing code; code for a limitation step of limiting the object area extracted in said object area extraction code; and code for an extraction step of extracting a feature quantity in the area limited in said limitation code; and code for a gradation conversion step of determining a shape of a gradation conversion curve using, as a parameter, the feature quantity extracted in said extraction code, and performing gradation conversion of the image data using the gradation conversion curve whose shape has been determined, wherein said code for said limitation step includes code for comparing the extracted object area in a certain ratio of the vertical axis of the extracted object area or a certain length in the vertical direction of the image and limited the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 14

A recording medium which records a program to execute an image data processing method, said program recorded on said medium comprising: code for a radiation generation step of generating X-rays; code for a two-dimensional X-ray sensing step of obtaining as image data, the X-rays penetrating an object; code for an object area extraction step of extracting an area of the object from an image represented by the image data obtained in said two-dimensional X-ray sensing code; code for a limitation step of limiting the object area extracted in said object area extraction code; and code for an extraction step of extracting a feature quantity in the area limited in said limitation code; and code for a gradation conversion step of determining a shape of a gradation conversion curve using, as a parameter, the feature quantity extracted in said extraction code, and performing gradation conversion of the image data using the gradation conversion curve whose shape has been determined, wherein said code for said limitation step includes code for comparing the extracted object area in a certain ratio of the vertical axis of the extracted object area or a certain length in the vertical direction of the image and limited the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 15

An image data processing apparatus comprising: object area extraction means for extracting an object area from an image as image data; limitation means for limiting the object area extracted by said object area extraction means; and extraction means for extracting a feature quantity, in the area limited by said limitation means; and gradation conversion means for determining a shape of a gradation conversion curve using, as a parameter, the feature quantity extracted by said extraction means, and performing gradation conversion of the image data using the gradation conversion curve whose shape has been determined, wherein said limitation means comparts the extracted object area in a certain ratio of the vertical axis of the extracted object area or a certain length in the vertical direction of the image and limits the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 16

An image data processing apparatus comprising: object area extraction means for extracting an object area from an image as image data; limitation means for limiting the object area extracted by said object area extraction means; and extraction means for extracting a feature quantity, in the area limited by said limitation means; and gradation conversion means for determining a shape of a gradation conversion curve using, as a parameter, the feature quantity extracted by said extraction means, and performing gradation conversion of the image data using the gradation conversion curve whose shape has been determined, wherein said limitation means comparts the extracted object area in a certain ratio of the vertical axis of the extracted object area or a certain length in the vertical direction of the image and limits the object area by using a comparted range as a reference.

Claim 17

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said gradation conversion means determines the shape of the gradation conversion curve so that a pixel value based on the feature quantity is converted into a certain value.

Claim 18

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein said gradation conversion means determines the shape of the gradation conversion curve so that a pixel value based on the feature quantity is converted into a certain value.

Claim 19

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said object area extraction means extracts, as the area of the object, an area of a lung from the image.

Claim 20

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein said object area extraction means extracts, as the area of the object, an area of a lung from the image.

Claim 21

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising irradiation area extraction means for extracting an irradiation area from the image, wherein said object area extraction means extracts the area of the object from the image within a range based on the extracted irradiation area extracted by said extraction means, by deleting a transparent area and a second area within a certain distance of the transparent area, wherein the second area is in contact with the transparent area.

Claim 22

An image data processing apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising irradiation area extraction means for extracting an irradiation area from the image, wherein said object area extraction means extracts the area of the object from the image within a range based on the extracted irradiation area extracted by said extraction means, by deleting a transparent area and a second area within a certain distance of the transparent area, wherein the second area is in contact with the transparent area.