Principal Component Analysis for Content-based Image Retrieval

Abstract

Most picture archiving and communication systems provide image search capabilities that support queries based on patient demographics and study descriptions. In a preliminary study, principal component analysis was used to represent and retrieve images on the basis of content. Principal component analysis reduces the dimensionality of the search to a basis set of prototype images that best describes the images. Each image is described by its projection on the basis set; a match to a query image is determined by comparing its projection vector on the basis set with that of the images in the database. The training image database consisted of 100 axial brain images from a three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging study. The algorithm was evaluated by using 96 axial images from eight patients. Image retrieval was considered accurate if the automated algorithm returned the match section to within 3 mm of an expert-selected section; the retrieval accuracy was 83% when the images were preprocessed for uniformity in intensity and geometry. Principal component analysis can be applied to content-based retrieval of medical images. The algorithm is designed to be part of an automated image selection module that filters relevant images from an imaging study.