Application of node-strut analysis to skeletal patterns on digital radiographic images

Abstract

In this study, we applied node-strut analysis to digital images of known quantitative structures to determine its potential usefulness in assessing binary skeletal patterns extracted by morphological filtering of digital radiographic image data. The procedures we used included computed radiography (CR), node-strut analysis, and a mathematically based morphologic filtration. Six metallic wire lattice structures were so assembled as to have varying node (Nd) and terminus (Tm) points, and the lattice structures were used as test patterns whose structure was sequentially modified by reducing the wires in 6 steps. Digital radiographic images of the test patterns were produced using CR, and then 12 binary skeletal patterns having different numbers of Nd and Tm and varied strut length were extracted by the morphological filter. The binary skeletal pattern data were processed into the image data of 1-pixel thickness by using the thinning operation for node-strut analysis and then quantitatively assessed by node-strut analysis.