Image enhancement

The image enhancement tools apply processing parameters to the selected image to sharpen image edges, reduce noise to smooth out an image, and identify significant changes in the image continuity. The resulting images are displayed in image frames, making them available for other tools such as magnification, window/level, annotations, etc. Processed images can be uploaded to the server as presentation states and saved as key images.

Image enhancement settings can be defined and applied as-needed or saved as presets and applied by selecting the preset setting from a list. Settings can be combined as well, meaning you can apply (and save) a specific smoothing filter and edge detection settings simultaneously.

To apply an image enhancement filter, do the following:

1. Select an image frame containing the image(s) you intend to process.

2. From the Image Enhancement toolbar click the Show Image Enhancement Manager button. The image enhancement manager panel appears.

3. From the Add page, double-click a default setting for the desired image processing algorithm (Sharpness, Smoothing or Edge Detection). That algorithm’s settings page appears. Change the default settings from the pull down list.

4. Change the filter settings as needed.

5. Apply the settings automatically or manually. When a filter is applied, the processed image icon appears in the top, left corner of the image frame.

1. To automatically apply the settings, check the Auto Preview check box.

2. To manually apply the settings manually, click the Apply button.

As the processing filter is applied, the processed image icon in the top, left corner of the image frame spins. When it stops spinning, processing is complete and the image is updated.

To add a second filter to the current filter, do the following:

1. Click the ‘+’ tab at the top of the control panel.

2. Repeat the steps above for selecting and apply a filter.

To remove a filter from the currently applied filters, do the following:

1. Click the ‘X’ on the right edge of the tab in the image enhancement manager panel.

To save the defined filters as a preset image enhancement filter, do the following:

1. Click the Save tab at the top of the control panel.

2. Enter a filter name. This value appears in the preset filter list.

3. Enter a filter description to help explain the settings applied to this preset filter. This text appears in the description section when the preset is selected.

4. Select the modality types for which this filter will be available as a preset.

5. Click Save.

When saved, the filter becomes available in the image processing manager under the processing algorithm category. Saved filters containing multiple algorithms appear in the Compound section.

Image Sharpening

The image sharpening process overcomes some capture, processing and other effects in an image. Sharpening filter settings are defined in the table below.

Image Smoothing

Image smoothing reduces the noise in an image to smooth out transitions between data points. Smoothing filter settings are defined in the table below.

Edge Detection

The edge detection algorithm identifies significant changes in the image data, which typically occur along the edges of the anatomical structure in the image. Edge detection filter settings are defined in the table below.