An image processing system for digital chest X-ray images

This paper investigates the requirements for image processing of digital chest X-ray images. These images are conventionally recorded on film and are characterised by large size, wide dynamic range and high resolution. X-ray detection systems are now becoming available for capturing these images directly in photoelectronic-digital form. The hardware and software facilities required for handling these images are described. These facilities include high resolution digital image displays, programmable video look up tables, image stores for image capture and processing and a full range of software tools for image manipulation. Examples are given of the applications of digital image processing techniques to this class of image. (Auth.)