We present a solution method for adaptively smoothing magnetic resonance (MR) images while preserving discontinuities. We assume that the spatial behavior of MR data can be captured by a first order polynomial defined at every pixel. The formulation itself is similar to Leclerc's work on piecewise-smooth image segmentation, but we use the graduated non- convexity (GNC) algorithm as an optimizing tool for obtaining the solution. This requires initial values for polynomial coefficients of order greater than zed all three images displayed on laser-printed film. Two radiologists made subjective quality judgments of each film individually and then ranked the trio in terms of quality. The results indicated that the observers preferred ASAHE-processed low-resolution films to both high- and low-resolution unprocessed films.

Date Published: 1 June 1992
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 1652, Medical Imaging VI: Image Processing, (1 June 1992); doi: 10.1117/12.59452

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1652:
Medical Imaging VI: Image Processing
Murray H. Loew, Editor(s)