摘要 |
<p>A computerized system scans (116) and animal (102) using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to produce digital pixel values representing internal tissue. The pixel values are coded as gray scale values representing of the density of tissue scanned. The computer system (104) then classifies each pixel, based upon its gray scale value, as representing fat (207), muscle (206), cartilage (205) or skeletal tissue. Once classified, the percentage of intramuscular fat is calculated and presented on the screen of the computer system. Once the pixel data is classified, a perimeter around the muscle being scanned is defined by separating the muscle tissue from the surrounding tissue, and, the area of the muscle is calculated and presented to the user of the system. Multiple scans are performed along one dimension of the animal to determine the volume of the muscle. The system also ranks the animal with animals of like kind.</p> |