Feature extraction of chromosomes from 3-D confocal microscope images

An investigation of local energy surface detection integrated with neural network techniques for image segmentation is presented, as applied in the feature extraction of chromosomes from image datasets obtained using an experimental confocal microscope. Use of the confocal microscope enables biologists to observe dividing cells (living or preserved) within a three-dimensional (3-D) volume, that can be visualised from multiple aspects, allowing for increased structural insight. The Nomarski differential interference contrast mode used for imaging translucent specimens, such as chromosomes, produces images not suitable for volume rendering. Segmentation of the chromosomes from this data is, thus, necessary. A neural network based on competitive learning, known as Kohonen's self-organizing feature map (SOFM) was used to perform segmentation, using a collection of statistics or features defining the image. The authors' past investigation showed that standard features such as the localized mean and variance of pixel intensities provided reasonable extraction of objects such as mitotic chromosomes, but surface detail was only moderately resolved. In this current work, a biologically inspired feature known as local energy is investigated as an alternative image statistic based on phase congruency in the image. This, along with different combinations of other image statistics, is applied in a SOFM, producing 3-D images exhibiting vast improvement in the level of detail and clearly isolating the chromosomes from the background.