ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: We compare the effectiveness of 10 different color representations in a content-based image retrieval task for dermatology. METHODS: As features, we use the average colors of healthy and lesion skin in an image. The extracted features are used to retrieve similar images from a database using a k-nearest-neighbor search and Euclidean distance. The images in the database are divided into four different color categories. We measure the effectiveness of retrieval by the average percentage of retrieved images that belong to the same category as a query image. RESULTS: We found that the difference of the colors of lesion and healthy skin is a better color descriptor than the pair of these colors. We obtained the best results with the CIE-Lab color representation [75+/-3.8% (95% confidence interval) correct retrieval rate for k=11], followed by CIE-Luv and CIE-Lch. CONCLUSION: CIE-Lab is the most effective color space for content-based image retrieval of dermatological images. The difference of the colors of lesion and healthy skin in an image is a better color descriptor than the pair of these colors.
Subject(s)
Databases, Factual/standards , Dermatology , Information Storage and Retrieval/standards , Libraries, Digital/standards , Skin Diseases , Color , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/standardsABSTRACT
We describe the clinical course and outcome following decompressive craniectomy in six patients. Five patients suffered from severe intracranial hypertension due to middle cerebral artery infarction. In one patient the cause was bacterial meningoencephalitis. Acute clinical and neuroradiological signs of intracranial hypertension were seen in all cases. Following ineffective conventional brain edema therapy, decompressive craniectomy was undertaken. In five cases intracranial pressure was sufficiently lowered. One patient developed transtentorial herniation with subsequent brain death. Four patients with middle artery infarction showed moderate neurological disorders and one patient with bacterial meningoencephalitis recovered completely after treatment. Craniectomy in malignant middle artery infarction should be taken into consideration if conventional brain edema therapy does not sufficiently reduce critically raised intracranial pressure. Craniectomy provides development of brain herniation. This treatment may reduce high lethality rate and high frequency of severe neurological disorders.
Subject(s)
Craniotomy , Decompression, Surgical , Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/complications , Intracranial Hypertension/surgery , Meningoencephalitis/complications , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Intracranial Hypertension/etiology , Intracranial Hypertension/physiopathology , Intracranial Pressure/physiology , Male , Middle Aged , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Treatment OutcomeSubject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/psychology , Neurocognitive Disorders/psychology , Neuropsychological Tests , Adjustment Disorders/psychology , Aged , Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Cognition Disorders/psychology , Homosexuality , Humans , Male , Personality Disorders/psychology , Personality Tests , Psychometrics , Sick Role , Wechsler ScalesABSTRACT
While coronary angiography was within normal limits in three patients with recurrent severe attacks of angina and non-transmural postero-lateral wall myocardial infarction, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy demonstrated an abnormal distribution pattern. In addition to recanalised thrombosis, embolism or spasm, abnormalities in the microcirculation are possible causes of the discrepancy between the coronary arteriogram and the scintigram. Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy is of particular diagnostic significance in this group of patients with coronary heart disease but normal coronary angiography. Treatment in the presence of this finding consists of administration of platelet-aggregation inhibitors.
Subject(s)
Coronary Circulation , Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology , Adult , Coronary Angiography , Heart/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Male , Microcirculation , Myocardial Infarction/diagnostic imaging , Radionuclide ImagingABSTRACT
In 7 patients with arrhythmias of various origin the myocardial scintigram displayed either a diffuse or circumscript defect of the perfusion. The coronary arteriogram was normal in all patients. The localized defect of the perfusion in 2 patients was in the region of the upper part of the interventricular septum. Both had a left bundle brunch block. A correlation between the perfusion defect and the electrophysiological abnormality seems probable. The perfusion defect in one of the patients is most probably caused by a previous myocarditis followed by fibrous changes. In the other 6 patients the cause for the perfusion defect is not obvious. A history of myocarditis is missing. The presence of "small vessel disease" in those patients has however to be considered. Our results point to the relation between an abnormality of the microcirculation and arrhythmias in younger patients.
