Image processing apparatus and image processing method

An image processing method executed by an image processing apparatus, the image processing method comprising:

• analyzing a characteristic of a pathologic region included in individual endoscopic images of an endoscopic image group arranged in chronological order;
• setting, based on the characteristic of the pathologic region, an extraction condition for extracting one or more endoscopic images appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group;
• and
• extracting, based on the extraction condition, an endoscopic image having image quality appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group,
• wherein, in analyzing the characteristic of the pathologic region,
• acquiring pathologic region information representing coordinate information of a pathologic region in each endoscopic image of the endoscopic image group, the pathologic region information being generated by detecting a pathologic region by a pathologic region detection device from each endoscopic image of the endoscopic image group,
• acquiring, based on the pathologic region information, pathologic region presence information representing whether a pathologic region having an area equal to or larger than a preset predetermined value is included in each endoscopic image,
• calculating, based on the pathologic region information, pathology characteristic information representing a characteristic of the pathologic region, and
• classifying the pathologic region into a preset class of malignant degree.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which an executable program is recorded, the program instructing a processor of an image processing apparatus to execute:

• analyzing a characteristic of a pathologic region included in individual endoscopic images of an endoscopic image group arranged in chronological order;
• setting, based on the characteristic of the pathologic region, an extraction condition for extracting one or more endoscopic images appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group;
• and
• extracting, based on the extraction condition, an endoscopic image having image quality appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group,
• wherein, in analyzing the characteristic of the pathologic region,
• acquiring pathologic region information representing coordinate information of a pathologic region in each endoscopic image of the endoscopic image group, the pathologic region information being generated by detecting a pathologic region by a pathologic region detection device from each endoscopic image of the endoscopic image group,
• acquiring, based on the pathologic region information, pathologic region presence information representing whether a pathologic region having an area equal to or larger than a preset predetermined value is included in each endoscopic image,
• calculating, based on the pathologic region information, pathology characteristic information representing a characteristic of the pathologic region, and
• classifying the pathologic region into a preset class of malignant degree.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• a processor comprising hardware, wherein the processor is configured to execute:
• analyzing a characteristic of a pathologic region included in individual endoscopic images of an endoscopic image group arranged in chronological order;
• setting, based on the characteristic of the pathologic region, an extraction condition for extracting one or more endoscopic images appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group;
• and
• extracting, based on the extraction condition, one or more endoscopic images having image quality appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group.

An image processing method executed by an image processing apparatus, the image processing method comprising:

• analyzing a characteristic of a pathologic region included in individual endoscopic images of an endoscopic image group arranged in chronological order;
• setting, based on the characteristic of the pathologic region, an extraction condition for extracting one or more endoscopic images appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group;
• and
• extracting, based on the extraction condition, an endoscopic image having image quality appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which an executable program is recorded, the program instructing a processor of an image processing apparatus to execute:

• analyzing a characteristic of a pathologic region included in individual endoscopic images of an endoscopic image group arranged in chronological order;
• setting, based on the characteristic of the pathologic region, an extraction condition for extracting one or more endoscopic images appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group;
• and
• extracting, based on the extraction condition, an endoscopic image having image quality appropriate for diagnosis from the endoscopic image group.