Analysis of Benchmark Image Pre-Processing Techniques for Coronary Angiogram Images

Abstract

Coronary Artery supplies oxygenated blood and nutrients to the heart muscles. It can be narrow by the plaque deposited on the artery wall. Cardiologists and radiologists diagnose the disease through visual inspection based on x-ray images. It is a challenging part for them to identify the plaque in the artery in the given imagery. By using image processing and pattern recognition techniques, a narrowed artery can be identified. In this paper, pre-processing methods of image processing are discussed with respect to coronary angiogram image(s). In general the angiogram images are affected by device generated noise / artifacts; pre-processing techniques help to reduce the noise in the image and to enhance the quality of the image so that the region of interest is sensed. The main objective of the medical image analysis is to localize the region of interest by removing the noise. It is essential to find the structure of the artery in the angiogram image, for that preprocessing is useful.