Method of, and apparatus and computer software for, implementing image analysis protocols

A method of image analysis comprising the steps of:

• generating, by means of a user interface, a user defined image analysis protocol by:
• defining target identification settings to identify at least two different target sets of image objects;
• defining at least one pair-wise linking relationship between two different target sets to identify at least one linked target set;
• defining one or more measurements to be performed using said pair-wise linking relationship(s);
• saving the image analysis protocol;
• and
• applying the image analysis protocol on one or more images to extract defined measurement data from the images.

Image analysis system comprising:

• a user interface allowing a user to generate a user defined image analysis protocol by:
• defining target identification settings to identify at least two different target sets of image objects;
• defining at least one pair-wise linking relationship between two different target sets to identify at least one linked target set;
• defining one or more measurements to be performed using said pair-wise linking relationship(s);
• saving the image analysis protocol;
• and
• an image analysis unit capable of applying the image analysis protocol on one or more images to extract defined measurement data from the images.