METHOD AND MULTI-PURPOSE IMAGING SYSTEM FOR CHROMOSOMAL ANALYSIS BASED ON COLOR AND REGION INFORMATION

摘要

The present invention relates to classification of chromosomes, and in particular to classification of multicolor images of combinatorially labeled probes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-purpose imaging system for multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization. The present invention provides a method and a system for automatically classifying chromosomes or portions thereof by combining color and region information. More particularly, the method comprises the steps of: selecting a first start pixel/voxel/region; selecting an adjacent pixel/voxel/region; determining dependent on a pre-selected similarity criteria whether said adjacent pixel/voxel/region is of similar direction; adding said adjacent pixel/voxel/region to said first pixel/voxel/region if said adjacent pixel/voxel/region is of similar direction so that a first region is grown; repeating steps b) to d) until no more adjacent pixels/voxels/regions are found that fulfil the selected similarity criteria; calculating a first color vector for said first grown region; repeating steps a) to f) with further start pixels to grow further regions until no more regions can be grown; and performing clasification on the weighted region color vectors.