Diagnosis assisting device, and image processing method in diagnosis assisting device

An image processing method in a diagnosis assisting device that diagnoses lesions from a picked-up image, the method comprising:

• A) performing an image correction on the picked-up image for diagnosis, and
• B) obtaining an input image to an identifier that identifies diseases based on the picked-up image having undergone the image correction,
• wherein:
• performing the image correction in A) comprises performing a brightness correction, and
• performing the brightness correction comprises:
• setting a peripheral area other than a diagnosis area in the picked-up image as a measuring area,
• creating a brightness histogram relative to the measuring area,
• calculating a correction gain value based on a maximum peak value of the created brightness histogram, wherein calculating the correction gain value comprises integrating the brightness histogram from the maximum peak value toward a high brightness side, obtaining an upper end value of a brightness by calculating a predetermined percentage by integration on the brightness histogram from the maximum peak value toward the high brightness side, and clipping the correction gain value so that the upper end value does not exceed a predetermined upper limit, and
• correcting each of pixels in a color space by using the calculated correction gain value.