Dimensional analysis of blood vessel morphology using image processing techniques

An image processing procedure to perform a quasi-real time dimensional analysis of blood vessels undergoing morphological changes in a perfusion myograph is developed. Images of blood vessels are recorded using perfusion myography and video microscopy. The vessels' edges are detected automatically using an edge-tracking algorithm which combines a tracking method with image processing techniques, including: gradient operators and threshold. Because of the scattering effects that occur when the images are recorded, the edges found by the algorithm are not the actual vessels' edges. An attempt to correct this effect using a low order optical model based on Beer-Lambert's law of light transmission through absorbing media is proposed and tested.