Extended depth from focus reconstruction using NIH ImageJ plugins: Quality and resolution of elevation maps

Author(s)

de Oliveira Hein, Luis Rogerio ^[1] ; de Oliveira, Jose Alberto ^[1] ; de Campos, Kamila Amato ^[1] ; Reis de Oliveira Caltabiano, Pietro Carelli ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, DMT Dept Mat & Technol, LAIMat Mat Image Anal Lab, BR-12516410 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: MICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE; v. 75, n. 11, p. 1593-1607, NOV 2012.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

In this work, NIH ImageJ plugins for extended depth-from-focus reconstructions (EDFR) based on spatial domain operations were compared and tested for usage optimization. Also, some preprocessing solutions for light microscopy image stacks were evaluated, suggesting a general routine for the ImageJ user to get reliable elevation maps from grayscale image stacks. Two reflected light microscope image stacks were used to test the EDFR plugins: one bright-field image stack for the fracture of carbon-epoxy composite and its darkfield corresponding stack at same (x,y,z) spatial coordinates. Image quality analysis consisted of the comparison of signal-to-noise ratio and resolution parameters with the consistence of elevation maps, based on roughness and fractal measurements. Darkfield illumination contributed to enhance the homogeneity of images in stack and resulting height maps, reducing the influence of digital image processing choices on the dispersion of topographic measurements. The subtract background filter, as a preprocessing tool, contributed to produce sharper focused images. In general, the increasing of kernel size for EDFR spatial domain-based solutions will produce smooth height maps. Finally, this work has the main objective to establish suitable guidelines to generate elevation maps by light microscopy. Microsc. Res. Tech. 2012. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/08330-1 - Evaluation of fracture surfaces behavior through mixed fractals for ceramics, polymers, metallic alloys and polymeric matrix composites
• Grantee: Kamila Amato de Campos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 11/01835-3 - Correlative fractography: convergence of microscopy and digital image processing techniques for quantitative and qualitative characterization of fracture micromechanisms
• Grantee: Luis Rogerio de Oliveira Hein
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/00403-2 - Evaluation of precipitation hardening mechanisms in aluminum alloy by electron backscattering diffraction and digital image processing, under different cold pre-strain conditions
• Grantee: Pietro Carelli Reis de Oliveira Caltabiano
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 11/01042-3 - Fractal behavior of fatigue fracture surfaces for aircraft alloys
• Grantee: José Alberto de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation