Feature-based differences between mammograms
Walter F. Good, Xiao Hui Wang, Glenn S. Maitz · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2003
A novel technique for assessing local and global differences between mammographic images was developed. This method uses correlations between abstract features extracted from corresponding views to compare image properties without resorting to processes that depend on exact geometrical congruence, such as image subtraction, which have a tendency to produce excessive artifact. The method begins by normalizing both digitized mammograms, after which a series of global and local feature filters are applied to each image. Each filter calculates values characterizing a particular property of the given image, and these values, for each property of interest are arranged in a feature vector. Corresponding elements in the two feature vectors are combined to produce a difference vector that indicates the change in the particular properties between images. Features are selected which are expected to be relatively invariant with respect to breast compression.