The detection of objects in high-resolution aerial imagery has proven to be a difficult task. In the authors' application, the amount of image clutter is extremely high. Under these conditions, detection based on low-level image cues tends to perform poorly. Neural network techniques have been proposed in object detection applications due to proven robust performance characteristics. A neural network filter was designed and trained to detect targets in thermal infrared images. The feature extraction stage was eliminated and raw gray levels were utilized as input to the network. Two fundamentally different approaches were used to design the training sets. In the first approach, actual image data were utilized for training. In the second case, a model-based approach was adopted to design the training set vectors. The training set consisted of object and background data. The neuron transfer function was modified to improve network convergence and speed and the backpropagation training algorithm was used to train the network. The neural network filter was tested extensively on real image data. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were determined in each case. The detection and false alarm rates were excellent for the neural network filters. Their overall performance was much superior to that of the size-matched contrast-box filter, especially in the images with higher amounts of visual clutter.

In this paper, statistical methods for the estimation of bone quality to predict the risk of fracture are reported. Bone mineral density and bone architecture properties are the main contributors of bone quality. Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) is the traditional clinical measurement technique for bone mineral density, but does not include architectural information to enhance the prediction of bone fragility. Other modalities are not practical due to cost and access considerations. This study investigates statistical parameters based on the Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) extracted from two-dimensional projection images and explores links with architectural properties and bone mechanics. Data analysis was conducted on Micro-CT images of 13 trabecular bones (with an in-plane spatial resolution of about 50 μm). Ground truth data for bone volume fraction (BV/TV), bone strength and modulus were available based on complex 3D analysis and mechanical tests. Correlation between the statistical parameters and biomechanical test results was studied using regression analysis. The results showed Cluster-Shade was strongly correlated with the microarchitecture of the trabecular bone and related to mechanical properties. Once the principle thesis of utilizing second-order statistics is established, it can be extended to other modalities, providing cost and convenience advantages for patients and doctors.