Automated Detection of Bone fractures from Digital X-Rays

Abstract

Modern technology has implications for all fields of human knowledge and the field of Radiology is no exception. The development of a computerized system of analysis for the detection of fractures is of great value as the human eye cannot always locate hairline fractures with the requisite precision. Vis-à-vis the conventional X-ray process, the digitized system of analysis of bone fracture is not only less time-consuming but also more accurate. Previously few algorithms, having their pros and cons, were proposed for automated bone fracture detection. This system if implemented in distributed environment will ease the communication process among medical practitioners. In order to accomplish the objectives of the project, following steps are performed (image processing). • An image is extracted from a repository of X-Rays images. • Preprocessing Following are the processes used for preprocessing • Image enhancement • Image restoration After improving the quality of image, following steps are performed for further processing • Edge detection • Binarization • Morphological operations are performed which extract image components that are useful for representation and description. These operations include region filling, skeletonization, removing isolated pixels and spur pixels from the image. Finally the discontinuity between the points will accentuate the fracture in the digital image. Experimentation has shown that the system is capable to detect the bone factures from digital X-Ray images. This system is designed using the MATLAB 7.0 tool.