Image processing apparatus, method, and computer program product

A method of operating an image processing apparatus comprising:

• detecting a deep region of a duct in an image;
• extracting a contour edge of an inner wall of the duct in the image;
• identifying a plurality of convex regions among the plurality of contour edges;
• analyzing a respective curvature of each of the plurality of convex regions to identify a convex direction for each of the plurality of convex regions;
• and
• detecting, as an abnormal region, a convex region having a convex direction directed toward a direction of the deep region so as to enable the image processing apparatus to detect an abnormal tissue edge with high accuracy while suppressing an erroneous determination of a normal tissue edge to be abnormal.

A computer program product including a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program code encoded thereon that when executed by a processor of a computer causes the computer to perform image process of an image processing apparatus, the computer program code comprising:

• computer program code for detecting a deep region of a duct in an image;
• computer program code for extracting a contour edge of an inner wall of the duct in the image;
• computer program code for identifying a plurality of convex regions among the plurality of contour edges;
• computer program code for analyzing a respective curvature of each of the plurality of convex regions to identify a convex direction for each of the plurality of convex regions;
• and
• computer program code for detecting, as an abnormal region, a convex region having a convex direction directed toward a direction of the deep region so as to enable the image processing apparatus to detect an abnormal tissue edge with high accuracy while suppressing an erroneous determination of a normal tissue edge to be abnormal.