Software turns to medical image processing

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 27, 2002

The MathWorks has expanded its support for the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) file format.

The MathWorks has expanded its support for the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) file format.

The company's flagship software product, Matlab, and its Image Processing Toolbox now provide both read and write functionality for DICOM formatted files, enabling users to exchange image data and access metadata.

With this expanded functionality, medical professionals can now easily write DICOM formatted files from the Matlab environment, greatly simplifying communication between their image devices.

According to Peter Kellman, Staff Scientist at the National Institutes of Health, "The new read and write support for DICOM in Matlab and its Image Processing Toolbox provide direct access to the image databases, which enables me to conduct algorithm research in a clinical environment.

As more and more medical devices support the DICOM standard, Matlab continues to provide me with advanced tools and an excellent development environment that may be rapidly transitioned into practical use by medical professionals".

Kellman uses Matlab to develop improved methods for reconstructing MRI images.

He then exports the images directly to databases from which cardiologists provide clinical assessments.

A standard for the communication of medical images, DICOM enables interoperability between medical professionals' image archives (PACS), image devices, and Matlab.

The combination of DICOM support within Matlab and the Image Processing Toolbox enables medical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology professionals to seamlessly and quickly access, reconstruct, and analyse metadata associated with images such as MRIs, CTs, and ultrasounds.

As a result, users can reduce development time and maximise productivity.

"Professionals in the medical and biotech industries are increasingly turning to image processing tools for drug development, analysis of patient information, and other medical advancements", said Lisa Kempler, Matlab Marketing Director,The MathWorks.

"Connectivity between medical devices and image analysis tools is critical for performing image processing tasks quickly and efficiently".

Engineers, scientists, and researchers use Matlab and the Image Processing Toolbox across a broad spectrum of applications, including aerospace and defence, astronomy, remote sensing, medical imaging, biomedical engineering, manufacturing automation, materials science, and genetics research.

Matlab is a versatile matrix-based environment that makes image data easy to access, manipulate, analyse and visualise.

The Image Processing Toolbox extends the Matlab computing environment to provide functions and interactive tools for enhancing and analysing digital images and developing image processing algorithms.

Matlab and the Image Processing Toolbox together provide a single environment for image analysis, algorithm development, and deployment.