Novelty Detection‐Based Internal Fingerprint Segmentation in Optical Coherence Tomography Images

Biometric fingerprint scanners scan the external skin\u27s features onto a 2‐D image. The performance of the automatic fingerprint identification system suffers first and foremost if the finger skin is wet, worn out or a fake fingerprint is used. We present an automatic segmentation of the papillary layer method, from images acquired using contact‐less 3‐D swept source optical coherence tomography (OCT). The papillary contour represents the internal fingerprint, which does not suffer from the external finger problems. It is embedded between the upper epidermis and papillary layers. Speckle noise is first reduced using non‐linear filters from the slices composing the 3‐D image. Subsequently, the stratum corneum is used to extract the epidermis. The epidermis, with its depth known, is used as the target class of the ensuing novelty detection. The outliers resulting from novelty detection represent the papillary layer. The contour of the papillary layer is segmented as the boundary between target and rejection classes. Using a mixture of Gaussian\u27s novelty detection routine on images pre‐processed with a regularized anisotropic diffusion filter, the papillary contours—internal fingerprints—are consistent with those segmented manually, with the modified Williams index above 0.9400

Internal fingerprint extraction

Fingerprints are a non-invasive biometric that possess significant advantages. However, they are subject to surface erosion and damage; distortion upon scanning; and are vulnerable to fingerprint spoofing. The internal fingerprint exists as the undulations of the papillary junction - an intermediary layer of skin - and provides a solution to these disadvantages. Optical coherence tomography is used to capture the internal fingerprint. A depth profile of the papillary junction throughout the OCT scans is first constructed using fuzzy c-means clustering and a fine-tuning procedure. This information is then used to define localised regions over which to average pixels for the resultant internal fingerprint. When compared to a ground-truth internal fingerprint zone, the internal fingerprint zone detected automatically is within the measured bounds of human error. With a mean- squared-error of 21.3 and structural similarity of 96.4%, the internal fingerprint zone was successfully found and described. The extracted fingerprints exceed their surface counterparts with respect to orientation certainty and NFIQ scores (both of which are respected fingerprint quality assessment criteria). Internal to surface fingerprint correspondence and internal fingerprint cross correspondence were also measured. A larger scanned region is shown to be advantageous as internal fingerprints extracted from these scans have good surface correspondence (75% had at least one true match with a surface counterpart). It is also evidenced that internal fingerprints can constitute a fingerprint database. 96% of the internal fingerprints extracted had at least one corresponding match with another internal fingerprint. When compared to surface fingerprints cropped to match the internal fingerprints’ representative area and locality, the internal fingerprints outperformed these cropped surface counterparts. The internal fingerprint is an attractive biometric solution. This research develops a novel approach to extracting the internal fingerprint and is an asset to the further development of technologies surrounding fingerprint extraction from OCT scans. No earlier work has extracted or tested the internal fingerprint to the degree that this research has

Machine learning strategies for diagnostic imaging support on histopathology and optical coherence tomography

Tesis por compendio[ES] Esta tesis presenta soluciones de vanguardia basadas en algoritmos de computer vision (CV) y machine learning (ML) para ayudar a los expertos en el diagnóstico clínico. Se centra en dos áreas relevantes en el campo de la imagen médica: la patología digital y la oftalmología. Este trabajo propone diferentes paradigmas de machine learning y deep learning para abordar diversos escenarios de supervisión en el estudio del cáncer de próstata, el cáncer de vejiga y el glaucoma. En particular, se consideran métodos supervisados convencionales para segmentar y clasificar estructuras específicas de la próstata en imágenes histológicas digitalizadas. Para el reconocimiento de patrones específicos de la vejiga, se llevan a cabo enfoques totalmente no supervisados basados en técnicas de deep-clustering. Con respecto a la detección del glaucoma, se aplican algoritmos de memoria a corto plazo (LSTMs) que permiten llevar a cabo un aprendizaje recurrente a partir de volúmenes de tomografía por coherencia óptica en el dominio espectral (SD-OCT). Finalmente, se propone el uso de redes neuronales prototípicas (PNN) en un marco de few-shot learning para determinar el nivel de gravedad del glaucoma a partir de imágenes OCT circumpapilares. Los métodos de inteligencia artificial (IA) que se detallan en esta tesis proporcionan una valiosa herramienta de ayuda al diagnóstico por imagen, ya sea para el diagnóstico histológico del cáncer de próstata y vejiga o para la evaluación del glaucoma a partir de datos de OCT.[CA] Aquesta tesi presenta solucions d'avantguarda basades en algorismes de *computer *vision (CV) i *machine *learning (ML) per a ajudar als experts en el diagnòstic clínic. Se centra en dues àrees rellevants en el camp de la imatge mèdica: la patologia digital i l'oftalmologia. Aquest treball proposa diferents paradigmes de *machine *learning i *deep *learning per a abordar diversos escenaris de supervisió en l'estudi del càncer de pròstata, el càncer de bufeta i el glaucoma. En particular, es consideren mètodes supervisats convencionals per a segmentar i classificar estructures específiques de la pròstata en imatges histològiques digitalitzades. Per al reconeixement de patrons específics de la bufeta, es duen a terme enfocaments totalment no supervisats basats en tècniques de *deep-*clustering. Respecte a la detecció del glaucoma, s'apliquen algorismes de memòria a curt termini (*LSTMs) que permeten dur a terme un aprenentatge recurrent a partir de volums de tomografia per coherència òptica en el domini espectral (SD-*OCT). Finalment, es proposa l'ús de xarxes neuronals *prototípicas (*PNN) en un marc de *few-*shot *learning per a determinar el nivell de gravetat del glaucoma a partir d'imatges *OCT *circumpapilares. Els mètodes d'intel·ligència artificial (*IA) que es detallen en aquesta tesi proporcionen una valuosa eina d'ajuda al diagnòstic per imatge, ja siga per al diagnòstic histològic del càncer de pròstata i bufeta o per a l'avaluació del glaucoma a partir de dades d'OCT.[EN] This thesis presents cutting-edge solutions based on computer vision (CV) and machine learning (ML) algorithms to assist experts in clinical diagnosis. It focuses on two relevant areas at the forefront of medical imaging: digital pathology and ophthalmology. This work proposes different machine learning and deep learning paradigms to address various supervisory scenarios in the study of prostate cancer, bladder cancer and glaucoma. In particular, conventional supervised methods are considered for segmenting and classifying prostate-specific structures in digitised histological images. For bladder-specific pattern recognition, fully unsupervised approaches based on deep-clustering techniques are carried out. Regarding glaucoma detection, long-short term memory algorithms (LSTMs) are applied to perform recurrent learning from spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) volumes. Finally, the use of prototypical neural networks (PNNs) in a few-shot learning framework is proposed to determine the severity level of glaucoma from circumpapillary OCT images. The artificial intelligence (AI) methods detailed in this thesis provide a valuable tool to aid diagnostic imaging, whether for the histological diagnosis of prostate and bladder cancer or glaucoma assessment from OCT data.García Pardo, JG. (2022). Machine learning strategies for diagnostic imaging support on histopathology and optical coherence tomography [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/182400Compendi

OCT en phase pour la reconnaissance biométrique par empreintes digitales et sa sécurisation

In an increasingly open world, the flows of people are brought to explode in the coming years. Facilitating, streamlining, and managing these flows, by maintaining strict security constraints, therefore represent a key element for the global socio-economic dynamism. This flows management is mainly based on knowledge and verification of person identity. For its practicality and a priori secured, biometrics, in particular fingerprints biometrics, has become an effective and unavoidable solution.Nevertheless, it still suffers from two severe limitations. The first one concerns the poor performances obtained with damaged fingers. This damage can be involuntary (e.g. manual workers) or volunteers, for purposes of anonymity. The second limitation consists in the vulnerability of the commonly used sensors. In particular, they are vulnerable to copies of stolen fingerprints, made by malicious persons for identity theft purpose. We believe that these limitations are due to the small amount of information brought by the usual biometric sensors. It often consists in a single print of the finger surface. However, the biological complexity of human tissue provides rich information, unique to each person, and very difficult to reproduce. We therefore proposed an imaging approach based on Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), a 3D contactless optical sensor, to finely measure this information. The main idea of the thesis is therefore to explore novel ways to exploit this information in order to make biometrics more robust and truly secured. In particular, we have proposed and evaluated different fingerprint imaging methods, based on the phase of the OCT signalDans un monde de plus en plus ouvert, les flux de personnes sont amenés à exploser dans les prochaines années. Fluidifier et contrôler ces flux, tout en respectant de fortes contraintes sécuritaires, apparaît donc comme un élément clef pour favoriser le dynamisme économique mondial. Cette gestion des flux passe principalement par la connaissance et la vérification de l’identité des personnes. Pour son aspect pratique et a priori sécurisé, la biométrie, et en particulier celle des empreintes digitales, s’est imposée comme une solution efficace, et incontournable. Néanmoins, elle souffre de deux sévères limitations. La première concerne les mauvaises performances obtenues avec des doigts détériorés. Ces détériorations peuvent être involontaires (travailleurs manuels par exemple), ou bien volontaires, à des fins d’anonymisation. La deuxième concerne les failles de sécurité des capteurs. En particulier, ils sont vulnérables à des attaques avec de fausses empreintes, réalisées par des personnes mal intentionnées dans un but d’usurpation d’identité. D’après nous, ces limitations sont dues à la faible quantité d’information exploitée par les capteurs usuels. Elle se résume souvent à une simple image de la surface du doigt. Pourtant, la complexité biologique des tissus humains est telle qu’elle offre une information très riche, unique, et difficilement reproductible. Nous avons donc proposé une approche d’imagerie, basée sur la Tomographique par Cohérence Optique, un capteur 3D sans contact, permettant de mesurer finement cette information. L’idée majeure de la thèse consiste à étudier divers moyens de l’exploiter, afin de rendre la biométrie plus robuste et vraiment sécurisé

Automated retinal layer segmentation and pre-apoptotic monitoring for three-dimensional optical coherence tomography

The aim of this PhD thesis was to develop segmentation algorithm adapted and optimized to retinal OCT data that will provide objective 3D layer thickness which might be used to improve diagnosis and monitoring of retinal pathologies. Additionally, a 3D stack registration method was produced by modifying an existing algorithm. A related project was to develop a pre-apoptotic retinal monitoring based on the changes in texture parameters of the OCT scans in order to enable treatment before the changes become irreversible; apoptosis refers to the programmed cell death that can occur in retinal tissue and lead to blindness. These issues can be critical for the examination of tissues within the central nervous system. A novel statistical model for segmentation has been created and successfully applied to a large data set. A broad range of future research possibilities into advanced pathologies has been created by the results obtained. A separate model has been created for choroid segmentation located deep in retina, as the appearance of choroid is very different from the top retinal layers. Choroid thickness and structure is an important index of various pathologies (diabetes etc.). As part of the pre-apoptotic monitoring project it was shown that an increase in proportion of apoptotic cells in vitro can be accurately quantified. Moreover, the data obtained indicates a similar increase in neuronal scatter in retinal explants following axotomy (removal of retinas from the eye), suggesting that UHR-OCT can be a novel non-invasive technique for the in vivo assessment of neuronal health. Additionally, an independent project within the computer science department in collaboration with the school of psychology has been successfully carried out, improving analysis of facial dynamics and behaviour transfer between individuals. Also, important improvements to a general signal processing algorithm, dynamic time warping (DTW), have been made, allowing potential application in a broad signal processing field.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Automated retinal layer segmentation and pre-apoptotic monitoring for three-dimensional optical coherence tomography

The aim of this PhD thesis was to develop segmentation algorithm adapted and optimized to retinal OCT data that will provide objective 3D layer thickness which might be used to improve diagnosis and monitoring of retinal pathologies. Additionally, a 3D stack registration method was produced by modifying an existing algorithm. A related project was to develop a pre-apoptotic retinal monitoring based on the changes in texture parameters of the OCT scans in order to enable treatment before the changes become irreversible; apoptosis refers to the programmed cell death that can occur in retinal tissue and lead to blindness. These issues can be critical for the examination of tissues within the central nervous system. A novel statistical model for segmentation has been created and successfully applied to a large data set. A broad range of future research possibilities into advanced pathologies has been created by the results obtained. A separate model has been created for choroid segmentation located deep in retina, as the appearance of choroid is very different from the top retinal layers. Choroid thickness and structure is an important index of various pathologies (diabetes etc.). As part of the pre-apoptotic monitoring project it was shown that an increase in proportion of apoptotic cells in vitro can be accurately quantified. Moreover, the data obtained indicates a similar increase in neuronal scatter in retinal explants following axotomy (removal of retinas from the eye), suggesting that UHR-OCT can be a novel non-invasive technique for the in vivo assessment of neuronal health. Additionally, an independent project within the computer science department in collaboration with the school of psychology has been successfully carried out, improving analysis of facial dynamics and behaviour transfer between individuals. Also, important improvements to a general signal processing algorithm, dynamic time warping (DTW), have been made, allowing potential application in a broad signal processing field

Liver segmentation using 3D CT scans.

Master of Science in Computer Science. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2018.Abstract available in PDF file