Concepts in Image Processing and Analysis
Gérard-Michel Cochard, Mhand Hifi · 2025
This chapter covers the fundamental concepts and methods of image processing and analysis. It begins with image display methods, including simple matching, random threshold display and threshold matrix display. Next, basic tools for image analysis are introduced: histograms, profiles and level searches. The concept of entropy, a key element in information theory, is presented along with the method for calculating the entropy of an image. The chapter explores basic image processing tools, such as look-up table (LUT) histogram transformations, subtraction and image averaging. Image filtering is discussed in its mathematical formulation, both in the spatial and frequency domains. The final section of the chapter deals with binary images, including dilation, erosion, skeletonization, contour extraction and segmentation. To detect a discontinuity, a linear mask can be used, which, when applied to a point, yields a result.