# US 2014/0153833 A1 · Image processing apparatus and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153833 A1 - Document ID: US20140153833A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/119,386 - Filed: 2012-05-21 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-24 - Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd. - Inventors: Junichi Miyakoshi; Shuntaro Yui; Kazuki Matsuzaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153833A1 ## CPC - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - G06T 7/10: Segmentation; Edge detection (motion-based segmentation G06T7/215) - A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]} - A61B 6/12: Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies - A61B 6/50: specially adapted for specific body parts; specially adapted for specific clinical applications - A61B 6/5217: {extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data} - G06T 2207/10081: Computed x-ray tomography [CT] - G06T 2207/30004: Biomedical image processing - G06T 2207/30096: Tumor; Lesion - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a technology for extracting a target area from within an image by a combination of a plurality of image processes, enabling an automatic setting of an image process procedure without an operator inputting the image process procedure. Thus, according to the present invention, the content of an image process to be carried out in the next and subsequent rounds is automatically determined based on a history of results of image processes that have been applied to a process object image up to the immediately preceding round. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus for extracting a target area from a process object image by applying a plurality of image processes, the target area being a region different from a peripheral area in the process object image, the image processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit that stores a first history regarding a processing result of an application of a first image process procedure to the process object image; a processing unit that reads, from a database accumulating a candidate for an image process to be applied after the first image process procedure, and a second history regarding a processing result of an application of a second image process procedure corresponding to the candidate, the second history, that evaluates a similarity degree between the first history and the second history, and that determines an image process corresponding to the second history with a high evaluation result as a next candidate; and a processing unit that carries out a target area extraction process based on the determined image process. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the histories include information about a change in a feature quantity regarding the target area extracted in each of one or more image processes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the feature quantity includes a number or a size of the target area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the feature quantity includes information about an image process algorithm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the process object image is a medical image, and the target area is a lesion area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the database stores an evaluation index associated with the second image process procedure; and the evaluation of the similarity degree between the first history and the second history includes evaluating the similarity degree with reference also to the evaluation index. ### Claim 7 An image processing method carried out in a computer for extracting a target area from a process object image by applying a plurality of image processes, the target area being a region different from a peripheral area in the process object image, the image processing method comprising: a process of storing a first history regarding a processing result of an application of a first image process procedure to the process object image; a process of reading, from a database accumulating a candidate for an image process applied after the first image process procedure, and a second history regarding a processing result of an application of a second image process procedure corresponding to the candidate, the second history, evaluating a similarity degree between the first history and the second history, and determining an image process corresponding to the second history with a high evaluation result as a next candidate; and a process of carrying out a target area extraction process based on the determined image process. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image processing method according to claim 7, wherein the histories include information about a change in a feature quantity regarding the target area extracted in each of one or more image processes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image processing method according to claim 8, wherein the feature quantity includes a number or a size of the target area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image processing method according to claim 8, wherein the feature quantity includes information about the image process algorithm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The image processing method according to claim 8, wherein the process object image is a medical image, and the target area is a lesion part. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The image processing method according to claim 7, wherein: the database stores an evaluation index associated with the second image process procedure; and the evaluating the similarity degree between the first history and the second history includes evaluating the similarity degree with reference also to the evaluation index.