Application of image processing system using fuzzy chips to soft tissue extraction

This paper describes our new medical imaging processing system using fuzzy chips, which is capable of generating image of contour of tissue, such as liver, carotid artery, and hepatic duct. Fuzzy inference method was used in extracting contour image of such structures out of original image from MRL Our previous system was built on a personal computer equipped with a fuzzy chip, while our new system reported in this paper has a graphic workstation equipped with a specially made fuzzy inference board having multiple fuzzy chips. This change has achieved great enhancement in processing speed. The fuzzy inference board was connected via VME bus to a graphic workstation, which controls flow of data to and from the fuzzy inference board, preprocessing of original medical image data, and final stage of determining contour of interested structures.