Hardware Architectures for Real-Time Medical Imaging

Medical imaging is classified into different modalities such as ultrasound, X-ray, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single-photon emission tomography (SPECT), nuclear medicine (NM), mammography, and fluoroscopy. Medical imaging includes various imaging diagnostic and treatment techniques and methods to model the human body, and therefore, performs an essential role to improve the health care of the community. Medical imaging, scans (such as X-Ray, CT, etc.) are essential in a variety of medical health-care environments. With the enhanced health-care management and increase in availability of medical imaging equipment, the number of global imaging-based systems is growing. Effective, safe, and high-quality imaging is essential for the medical decision-making. In this chapter, we proposed a medical imaging-based high-performance hardware architecture and software programming toolkit called high-performance medical imaging system (HPMIS). The HPMIS can perform medical image registration, storage, and processing in hardware with the support of C/C++ function calls. The system is easy to program and gives high performance to different medical imaging applications.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to offer an overview of the recent applications of cloud computing in medical imaging and their advances in the field. It reviews existing scientific and academic literature on cloud computing-based platforms and solutions for medical image analysis and storage of medical imaging data. Materials and methods: This article uses available scientific literature on the applications of cloud computing in medical imaging from PubMed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect. Results: The review shows that interest and research in cloud computing applications in medical imaging has increased in recent years. This has led to new and more effective platforms and solutions for medical image analysis and storage of medical imaging data. Innovative applications of cloud computing in medical imaging try to address ethical and security concerns using authentication, encryption, anonymization and access controls. Conclusions: Cloud computing offers promising applications in medical imaging. Notwithstanding, further research is necessary to demonstrate their effectiveness, safety and security in a medical setting.

A new method for compact storage and transmission of medical images with concealed patient information in noisy environment is evinced. Digital watermarking is the technique adapted here for interleaving patient information with medical images. The patient information, which comprises of text data and signal graph, is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access of data. The latest encryption algorithm (Rijndael) is used for encrypting the text information. Signal graphs (ECG, EEG EMG etc.) are compressed using DPCM technique. To enhance the robustness of the embedded information, the patient information is coded by error correcting codes (ECC) such as (7,4) Hamming, Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) and Reed Solomon (RS) codes .The noisy scenario is simulated by adding salt and pepper (S&P) noise to the embedded image. For different signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the image, bit error rate (BER) and number of character altered (NOCA) for text data and percentage distortion (PDIST) for the signal graph are evaluated. The performance comparison based on the above parameters is conducted for three types of ECC. It is elicited that coded systems can perform better than the uncoded systems.

The modern healthcare systems consider the secure transmission and storage of medical images as vital because of the sensitivity of patient data and the strict privacy regulations. This paper presents a secure and reversible RGB medical image scrambling and encryption scheme that aims to defend diagnostic images from unauthorized access, while, guaranteeing the integrity of the data. A 512- bit master key is generated through the memory-hard Argon2i algorithm which makes the system extremely resistant to brute-force and dictionary attacks. Domain-separated subkeys are generated using master key via AES in counter (CTR) mode. These subkeys are utilized at confusion and diffusion stages of the encryption and decryption process. The image confusion is performed with the use of a Fisher-Yates permutation which is controlled by cryptographically secure keystreams thereby disrupting spatial pixel relationships. The diffusion is done at both single colour channel and total colour channel levels utilizing a feedback-based mechanism that combines XOR operation, modular addition, and bit-level permutation. Both confusion and diffusion process ensures a strong avalanche effect across the entire image. Performance analysis shows that the proposed method provides an effective balance between security and computational efficiency, making it suitable for secure storage and transmission of medical images in telemedicine and healthcare information systems.

Medical imaging and information management systems require transmission and storage of medical images over the Internet. Many reversible information hiding schemes for image have been proposed to ensure security and availability. In order to avoid the risk of medical information leakage and the medical image distortion, a reversible information hiding scheme based on interpolation and histogram shift for medical images has been proposed in this paper. The proposed adaptive interpolation between neighbor pixels (AIA) technique is used to obtain seed and non-seed pixels, which ensures the reversibility of the scheme while balancing the embedding capacity and the quality of marked image. Then, the image is divided into the region of interest (ROI) and the region of non-interest (NROI). Sensitive information such as electronic patient records (EPR) and electronic signatures of medical images are embedded as secret information. In the ROI, the corresponding bit histogram shift repeated embedding method (CBHSR) is adopted for embedding information to effectively avoid the problem of image distortion caused by histogram stretching. Experimental results show that algorithm not only has high embedding capacity, but also keeps the peak signal-to-noise ratio above 50dB, visual information fidelity and structural similarity above 0.99, which has good subjective and objective image quality.

Medical image indexing and storage is gaining increased importance. Indexing and retrieval of these images efficiently is becomes an essential task. Indexing of medical images using text or numbers is a cumbersome task, difficult to memorize and time consuming. Indexing and Retrieval of images can be done through query by text and query by image which is also known as content based image retrieval (CBIR). Different medical images possess different texture and shape features. This paper presents a novel and hybrid approach of managing a huge medical image database and retrieving a medical image from the database by fusion of shape and texture features. Image is retrieved by comparing the features of query image and images of database. We attach some document information with each medical image such as patient identity, diseases, age, and case history. It can be used for further diagnostic and analysis purpose. Further the proposed algorithm also updates the database automatically if new query is found. MATLAB ® 7.01 and its image processing toolbox have been used to implement the algorithm.

Medical records generated in hospitals are treasures for academic research and future references. Medical Image Retrieval (MIR) Systems contribute significantly to locating the relevant records required for a particular diagnosis, analysis, and treatment. An efficient classifier and effective indexing technique are required for the storage and retrieval of medical images. In this paper, a retrieval framework is formulated by adopting a modified Local Binary Pattern feature (AvN-LBP) for indexing and an optimized Fuzzy Art Map (FAM) for classifying and searching medical images. The proposed indexing method extracts LBP considering information from neighborhood pixels and is robust to background noise. The FAM network is optimized using the Differential Evaluation (DE) algorithm (DEFAMNet) with a modified mutation operation to minimize the size of the network without compromising the classification accuracy. The performance of the proposed DEFAMNet is compared with that of other classifiers and descriptors; the classification accuracy of the proposed AvN-LBP operator with DEFAMNet is higher. The experimental results on three benchmark medical image datasets provide evidence that the proposed framework classifies the medical images faster and more efficiently with lesser computational cost.

The exponential growth of the Internet-enabled medical service and data communication technologies have made it possible for institutions all over the world to exchange vast amounts of medical imaging data easily in the rapidly changing medical field of digital healthcare. But these advancements have also had the effect of making the issue of data integrity, as well as confidentiality and authentication, much more pressing. To ensure the safe transfer and storage of medical images and keep the diagnostic results reliable, this work introduces the Adaptive Deep Neural Defense (ADND) framework. To overcome the shortcomings of existing systems, the proposed model uses a combination of the deep learning method and advanced data security practices. The basis for a good encryption system is preliminary determined by segmenting and identifying homogeneous regions in medical images by the K-Means clustering. Data confidentiality is enhanced when transmitting via a hybrid chaotic map based encryption and channel security technique. A combination Random forest (RF) and Support vector machine (SVM) is applied for intelligent classification and anomaly detection purpose for evaluating and improving overall resiliency of the systems. When compared to traditional security frames, ADND scores highly in terms of accuracy, privacy retention, and data integrity based on experimental evaluation on benchmark datasets of medical images. The outcomes show how the adaptive deep learning technique suggested in this paper can provide the reliable and secure environment for medical imaging systems in future healthcare networks.

With the Continuous Improvement of Medical Information, the Continuous Development of Image Processing Technology and the Continuous Upgrading of Hospital Image Acquisition Equipment, Medical Image Detection Has Become More and More Reliable and Effective, Becoming an Important Basis for Doctors’ Diagnosis. Now Large Hospitals Use the Combination of Radiology Information Management System and Image Archiving and Communication System to Store and Access Patients’ Images. with the Establishment of Regional Image Sharing and Cooperation Platform, the Online - Near Line - Offline Storage Strategy Adopted by the Traditional Image Archiving and Communication System Can No Longer Meet the Needs of Mass Image Data Storage. in the Retrieval of Mass Image Data, the Relational Database Used by the Image Archiving and Communication System is Inefficient in Reading the Image on the Scale of Mass Data, and the Existing Image the Archive and Communication System Lacks Complete Data Backup and Disaster Recovery Scheme. This Paper Analyses the Feasibility, Advantages and Problems to Be Solved of Using Hdfs to Store Massive Medical Image Files, and Studies How to Realize the Function of Precise Access and Range Access Provided by Pacs Efficiently in Hadoop.

The security and confidentiality of medical images are of utmost importance due to frequent issues such as leakage, theft, and tampering during transmission and storage, which seriously impact patient privacy. Traditional encryption techniques applied to entire images have proven to be ineffective in guaranteeing timely encryption and preserving the privacy of organ regions separated from the background. In response, this study proposes a specialized and efficient local image encryption algorithm for the medical field. The proposed encryption algorithm focuses on the regions of interest (ROI) within massive medical images. Initially, the Laplacian of Gaussian operator and the outer boundary tracking algorithm are employed to extract the binary image and achieve ROI edge extraction. Subsequently, the image is divided into ROI and ROB (regions outside ROI). The ROI is transformed into a row vector and rearranged using the Lorenz hyperchaotic system. The rearranged sequence is XOR with the random sequence generated by the Henon chaotic map. Next, the encrypted sequence is arranged according to the location of the ROI region and recombined with the unencrypted ROB to obtain the complete encrypted image. Finally, the least significant bit algorithm controlled by the key is used to embed binary image into the encrypted image to ensure lossless decryption of the medical images. Experimental verification demonstrates that the proposed selective encryption algorithm for massive medical images offers relatively ideal security and higher encryption efficiency. This algorithm addresses the privacy concerns and challenges faced in the medical field and contributes to the secure transmission and storage of massive medical images.

Transfer of digital medical images between multiple parties requires the assurance of image identity and integrity, which can be achieved through image watermarking. This raises concerns for loss in viewer performance due to degradation of image quality. This paper presents Analysis and assessment of robust watermarking scheme suited for medical images and the techniques involved in minimizing perceptual degradation of medical images that result due to payload embedding. The efficient and reliable watermarking scheme is one of the important tasks in storage and transmission of medical images and patient data, multiple watermarking methods are available for embedding and extraction of payload in medical images of different modalities. Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) technique has been widely known to serve as powerful tool to ensure that impact on the image quality is well below the threshold of visual perceptibility. The principle on which this approach rests are the choice of a suitably light payload, distribution of payload on least significant area and the use of robust watermarking method. We provide examples of this approach applied to MR and CT images

Image analysis system for assessment of immunohistochemically stained proliferative marker (MIB-1) in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Drawing on existing theoretical work, as well as field research, this dissertation examines the impact of medical imaging technologies on communication between physicians and older patients when diagnostics often privilege disembodied data over the patient voice. Current diagnostic trends are contextualized within the history of medicine, from Ancient Greece to the present, including the development of imaging. Since the 1970s, advanced medical imaging technologies (e.g., ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) have become the diagnostic norm in Western medicine. The rapidity of this shift, which renders the human body as flattened data, can outstrip considerations of the implications of applying such technologies to living patients. Focusing on older patients, who may be less technologically savvy than younger patients or medical professionals, the field research begins with semi-structured interviews of patients over age sixty-five, exploring their encounters with medical imaging equipment and professionals. This data is interrogated qualitatively using Foucauldian discourse analysis drawing on Andrea Doucet’s model of slow scholarship, and informed by Arthur Frank’s notion of letting stories breathe; themes were allowed to surface from the patients’ narratives, rather than imposed by the researcher. Information emerging from the data considers patients’ emotions, unexpected physical sensations, communicative strategies and rationalizations, as well as Foucauldian allusions to power. Observational research was also conducted during encounters between physicians and simulated patients in the presence of medical images; these encounters were followed by reflective exit interviews. Research indicates that although physicians are increasingly trained in patient-centred communication, it is not always optimally practised. Physicians are sometimes more comfortable with the medical discourse of disease than with the emotional, metaphoric language of the patient’s illness experience. Since the development of modern Western medicine in Europe of the late 1700s, physicians have been trained to seek pathology, with the increasing aid of medical technologies, rather than listening to their patients. For older patients, who may experience multiple co-morbidities, the lack of communication around advanced medical technologies can increase their sense of vulnerability and anxiety. The dissertation concludes with recommendations for both patients and practitioners to improve communication in the medical context.

Machine vision systems are applied in industry to control the quality of production while optimizing efficiency. A machine vision and AI-based inspection of color intensity in transparent Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) preforms is especially sensitive to backgrounds and lighting, therefore, much attention is given to its illumination conditions. The paper examines the adverse factors affecting the quality of image recognition and presents an adaptive method for reducing the influence of changing illumination conditions in the color inspection process of transparent PET preforms. The method is based on predicting measured color intensity correction parameters according to illumination conditions. To test this adaptive method, a hardware and software system for image capture and processing was developed. This system is capable of inspecting large quantities of preforms in real time using a neural network with a modified gradient descent and momentum algorithm. The experiment showed that correction of the measured color intensity value reduced the standard deviation caused by variable and uneven illumination by 61.51 & x0025;, demonstrating that machine vision color intensity evaluation is a robust and adaptive solution under illuminated conditions for detecting abnormalities in machine-based PET inspection procedures.

PurposeTo spotlight the trends and hot topics looming from the highly cited papers in the subject category of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging with bibliometric analysis.Materials and methodsBased on the Essential Science Indicators, this study employed a bibliometric method to examine the highly cited papers in the subject category of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging in Web of Science (WoS) Categories, both quantitatively and qualitatively. In total, 1325 highly cited papers were retrieved and assessed spanning from the years of 2011 to 2021. In particular, the bibliometric information of the highly cited papers based on WoS database such as the main publication venues, the most productive countries, and the top cited publications was presented. An corpus was built to help identify the most frequently explored topics. VoSviewer was used to visualize the co-occurrence networks of author keywords.ResultsThe top three active journals are Neuroimage, Radiology and IEEE T Med Imaging. The United States, Germany and England have the most influential publications. The top cited publications unrelated to COVID-19 can be grouped in three categories: recommendations or guidelines, processing software, and analysis methods. The top cited publications on COVID-19 are dominantly in China. The most frequently explored topics based on the corpus and the author keywords with the great link strengths overlap to a great extent. Specifically, phrases such as magnetic resonance imaging, deep learning, prostate cancer, chest CT, computed tomography, CT images, coronavirus disease, convolutional neural network(s) are among the most frequently mentioned.ConclusionThe bibliometric analysis of the highly cited papers provided the most updated trends and hot topics which may provide insights and research directions for medical researchers and healthcare practitioners in the future.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11604-022-01268-z.