Image segmentation

Image segmentation is (one of) the (few) concept(s) on the border between Image (pre)processing (Image->Image) and Image analysis (Image->Data).

Description

Fiji plugin to segment oocyte and zona pellucida contours from transmitted light images and extract hundreds of morphological features to describe numerically the oocyte. Segmentation is based on trained neural networks (U-Net) that were trained on both mouse and human oocytes (in prophase and meiosis I) acquired in different conditions. They are freely avaialable on the github repository and can be retrained if necessary. Oocytor also have options to extract hundreds of morphological/intensity features to characterize manually the oocyte (eg perimeter, texture...). These features can also be used in machine learning pipeline for automatic phenotyping.

Description

EPySeg is a package for segmenting 2D epithelial tissues. EPySeg also ships with a graphical user interface that allows for building, training and running deep learning models.

Training can be done with or without data augmentation (2D-xy and 3D-xyz data augmentation are supported). EPySeg relies on the segmentation_models library. EPySeg source code is available here. Cloud version available here.

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Description

ZeroCostDL4Mic: exploiting Google Colab to develop a free and open-source toolbox for Deep-Learning in microscopy

ZeroCostDL4Mic is a collection of self-explanatory Jupyter Notebooks for Google Colab that features an easy-to-use graphical user interface. They are meant to quickly get you started on learning to use deep-learning for microscopy. 

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Description

Fractal is a framework to process high-content imaging data at scale and prepare it for interactive visualization. Fractal provides distributed workflows that convert TBs of image data into OME-Zarr files. The platform then processes the 3D image data by applying tasks like illumination correction, maximum intensity projection, 3D segmentation using cellpose and measurements using napari workflows. The pyramidal OME-Zarr files enable interactive visualization in the napari viewer.

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Description

 

Relate is a correlative software package optimised to work with EM, EDS, EBSD, & AFM data and images.  It provides the tools you need to correlate data from different microscopes, visualise multi-layered data in 2D and 3D, and conduct correlative analyses.

  • Combining data from different imaging modalities (e.g. AFM, EDS & EBSD)

  • Interactive display of multi-layer correlated data

  • Analytical tools for metadata interrogation

  • Documented workflows and processes

Correlate

  • Import data from AZtec using the H5oina file format
  • Import AFM data
  • Correlate both sets of data using intuitive image overlays and image matching tools
  • Produce combined multimodal datasets

Visualise

  • 2D display of multi-layered data
  • 3D visualisation of topography combined with AFM material properties, EM images, and EDS & EBSD map overlays
  • Customisation of colour palettes, data overlays, image rendering options, and document display
  • Export images and animations

Analyse

  • Generate profile (cross section) views of multimodal data
  • Measure and quantify data across multiple layers
  • Analyse areas via data thresholding using amount of x-ray counts, phase maps, height, or other material properties.
  • Select an extensive range of measurement parameters
  • Export analytical data to text or CSV files
Relate analysis workflow example
Description

The empanada-napari plugin is built to democratize deep learning image segmentation for researchers in electron microscopy (EM). It ships with MitoNet, a generalist model for the instance segmentation of mitochondria. There are also tools to quickly build and annotate training datasets, train generic panoptic segmentation models, finetune existing models, and scalably run inference on 2D or 3D data. To make segmentation model training faster and more robust, CEM pre-trained weights are used by default. These weights were trained using an unsupervised learning algorithm on over 1.5 million EM images from hundreds of unique EM datasets making them remarkably general.

Empanada-napari

MIA

Description

ModularImageAnalysis (MIA) is an ImageJ plugin which provides a modular framework for assembling image and object analysis workflows. Detected objects can be transformed, filtered, measured and related. Analysis workflows are batch-enabled by default, allowing easy processing of high-content datasets.

MIA is designed for “out-of-the-box” compatibility with spatially-calibrated 5D images, yielding measurements in both pixel and physical units.  Functionality can be extended both internally, via integration with SciJava’s scripting interface, and externally, with Java modules that extend the MIA framework. Both have full access to all objects and images in the analysis workspace.

Workflows are, by default, compatible with batch processing multiple files within a single folder. Thanks to Bio-Formats, MIA has native support for multi-series image formats such as Leica .lif and Nikon .nd2.

Workflows can be automated from initial image loading through processing, object detection, measurement extraction, visualisation, and data exporting. MIA includes near 200 modules integrated with key ImageJ plugins such as Bio-Formats, TrackMate and Weka Trainable Segmentation.

Module(s) can be turned on/off dynamically in response to factors such as availability of images and objects, user inputs and measurement-based filters. Switches can also be added to “processing view” for easy workflow control.

MIA is developed in the Wolfson Bioimaging Facility at the University of Bristol.

Description

Machine Learning made easy

APEER ML provides an easy way to train your own machine learning
models and segment your microscopy images. No expertise or coding required.

APEER

Image Analysis Training Resources

Submitted by Perrine on Wed, 06/30/2021 - 14:15

This is a resource for image analysis training material, with a focus on research in the life sciences.

Currently, this resource is mainly meant to serve image analysis trainers, helping them to design courses. However, we might add more text (or videos) to the material such that it could also be used by students for self-directed study.

Description

This tool allows to analyze morphological characteristics of complex roots. While for young roots the root system architecture can be analyzed automatically, this is often not possible for more developed roots. The tool is inspired by the Sholl analysis used in neuronal studies. The tool creates a binary mask and the Euclidean Distance Transform from the input image. It then allows to draw concentric circles around a base point and to extract measures on or within the circles. Instead of circles, which present the distance from the base point, horizontal lines can be used, which present the distance in the soil from the base-line. The following features are currently implemented:

  • The area of the root per distance/depth.
  • The number of border pixel per distance/depth, giving an idea of the surface in contact with the soil.
  • The maximum radius per distance/depth of a root, measured at the crossing points with the circles or lines.
  • The number of crossings of roots with the circles or lines.
  • The maximum distance to the left and the right from the vertical axis at crossing points with the circles or lines.
Concentric circles on the mask of a root, created by the Analyze Complex Roots Tool
Description

webKnossos is an open-source data sharing and annotation platform for tera-scale 2D and 3D image datasets.

The core features of webKnossos are:

  • fast 3D data streaming
  • share links to specific locations in the data
  • uniquely fast skeleton annotation (flight mode) and
  • efficient volume annotation
  • mesh rendering
  • collaboration and sharing tools

webKnossos facilitates image analysis workflows on multi-terabyte datasets, including visualization of raw and multi-modal microscopy data, distributed training data generation and proof-reading of automatic segmentation.

As a scientific resource, webknossos.org serves as a database for published image datasets including their annotations.

 

 

Description

The ImageM application proposes an integrated user interface that facilitates the processing and the analysis of multi-dimensional images within the Matlab environment. It provides a user-friendly visualization of multi-dimensional images, a collection of image processing algorithms and methods for analysis of images, the management of spatial calibration, and facilities for the analysis of multi-variate images. Its graphical user interface is largely inspired from the open source software "ImageJ". ImageM can also be run on the open source alternative software to Matlab, Octave.

ImageM is freely distributed on GitHub: https://github.com/mattools/ImageM.

Processing of a 3D image with the ImageM sotfware
Description

This is the ImageJ/Fiji plugin for StarDist, a cell/nuclei detection method for microscopy images with star-convex shape priors ( typically for Dapi like staining of nuclei). The plugin can be used to apply already trained models to new images.

Stardist
Description

VAST (Volume Annotation and Segmentation Tool) is a utility application for manual annotation of large EM stacks.

General labeling tool, used for a large variety of 3D data sets; electron-microscopic, multi-channel light-microscopic, and Micro-CT data sets as well as videos, and annotating arbitrary structures, regions and locations, depending on the user’s needs.

Description

Blood vessels tracing in 3D image from Tubeness filtering (user defined scale), 3D opening (radius set to 2), thresholding (user defined level) and 3D skeletonization.

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Description

Starting from image stacks, the nuclear boundary as well as nuclear bodies are segmented. As output, NucleusJ automatically measures 15 parameters quantifying shape and size of nuclei as well as intra-nuclear objects and the positioning of the objects within the nuclear volume.

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Description

LBADSA is based on the fitting of the Young-Laplace equation to the image data to measure drops.

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Description

Dragonfly is a software platform for the intuitive inspection of multi-scale multi-modality image data. Its user-friendly experience translates into powerful quantitative findings with high-impact visuals, driven by nuanced easy-to-learn controls.

For segmentation: It provides an engine fior machine Learning, Watershed and superpixel methods, support histological data .

It offers a 3D viewer, and python scripting capacities .

It is free for reserach use, but not for commercial usage.

DragonFly
Description

This is an implementation of Mask R-CNN on Python 3, Keras, and TensorFlow. The model generates bounding boxes and segmentation masks for each instance of an object in the image. It's based on Feature Pyramid Network (FPN) and a ResNet101 backbone.

Description

NEUBIAS-WG5 workflow for nuclei segmentation using Mask-RCNN. The workflow uses Matterport Mask-RCNN. Keras implementation. The model was trained with Kaggle 2018 Data Science Bowl images.

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Description

jSLIC superpixels - is a segmentation method for clustering similar regions - superpixels - in the given image which are usually used for other segmentation techniques. The only two parameters are average (initial) size of each superpixel and rigidity parameter in range (0,1)

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superpixels - ROI
Description

Collection of several basic standard image segmentation methods focusing on medical imaging. In particular, the key block/applications are (un)supervised image segmentation using superpixels, object centre detection and region growing with a shape prior. Besides the open-source code, there is also a few sample images.

 

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Description

This workflow processes a group of images containing cells with discernible nuclei and segments the nuclei and outputs a binary mask that show where nuclei were detected. It was developed as a test workflow for Neubias BIAFLOWS Benchmarking tool.

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Description

The macro will segment nuclei and separate clustered nuclei in a 3D image using a distance transform watershed. As a result an index-mask image is written for each input image.

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Description

This suite provides plugins to enhance 3D capabilities of ImageJ.

  • 3D Filters (mean, median, max, min, tophat, max local, …) and edge and symmetry filter
  • 3D Segmentation (iterative thresholding, spots segmentation, watershed, …)
    • 3D hysteresis thresholding with two thresholds (see 2D hysteresis for explanation).
    • 3D simple segmentation with thresholding to label 3D objects (similar to 3D objects counter).
    • 3D iterative thresholding (find optimal threshold for each object).
    • 3D spot segmentation with various local threshold estimations.
    • 3D Maxima Finder (with noise parameter)
    • 3D seeds-based watershed with automatic local maxima detection for seeds.
  • 3D Mathematical Morphology tools (fill holes, binary closing, distance map, …)
  • 3D RoiManager (3D display and analysis of 3D objects)
  • 3D Analysis (Geometrical measurements, Mesh measurements, Convex hull, …)
    • 3D Geometrical measurements (volume, surface, …) for each labelled object.
    • 3D Centroid, to compute centroids of labelled objects.
    • 3D Intensity measurements (mean, integrated density, …) in a opened image for each labelled object.
    • 3D Shape measurements (compactness, elongation, …) for each labelled object.
    • 3D Mesh Measurements after triangulation (see 3D Viewer for surface mesh computation).
    • 3D fitting by an ellipsoid and main direction computation (details here).
    • 3D convex hull (see http://rsbweb.nih.gov/ij/plugins/3d-convex-hull/index.html).
    • 3D Radial Distance Area Ratio (RDAR)
    • 3D Density, to compute density of dots, based on closest distance analysis (details here).
  • 3D MereoTopology (Relationship between objects)
  • 3D Tools (Drawing ellipsoids and lines, cropping, …)
    • Drawing 3D line
    • Drawing 3D ellipsoids in any direction
    • Drawing in stacks as volumes
    • Drawing in 3D viewer as surfaces
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Description

The macro will segment nuclei and separate clustered nuclei using a binary watershed. As a result an index-mask image is written for each input image.

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video tutorial on 3D vessel segmentation of synchrotron phase contrast tomography

Submitted by czhang on Tue, 01/29/2019 - 20:32

In this tutorial video, a coronary arterial tree is used as the demo example to show in detail how the semi-automatic segmentation workflow, Carving from the open-source image analysis software ilastik, can be used. Tips on how and why a preprocessing is done, as well as parameter settings are provided.

Description

TEM ExosomeAnalyzer is a program for automatic and semi-automatic detection of extracellular vesicles (EVs), such as exosomes, or similar objects in 2D images from transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The program detects the EVs, finds their boundaries, and reports information about their size and shape.

The software has been developed in terms of project MUNI/M/1050/2013 and supported by Grant Agency of Masaryk University.

The EVs are detected based on the shape and edge contrast criteria. The exact shapes of the EVs are then segmented using a watershed-based approach.

With proper parameter settings, even images with EVs both lighter and darked than the background, or containing artifacts or precipitated stain can be processed. If the fully-automatic processing fails to produce the correct results, the program can be used semi-automatically, letting the user adjust the detection seeds during the intermediate steps, or even draw the whole segmentation manually.

screen capture from exosomeAnalyzer
Description

There are many methods in bio-imaging that can be parametrized. This gives more flexibility
to the user as long as tools provide easy support for tuning parameters. On the other hand, the
datasets of interest constantly grow which creates the need to process them in bulk. Again,
this requires proper tool support, if biologist is going to be able to organize such bulk
processing in an ad-hoc manner without the help of a programmer. Finally, new image
analysis algorithms are being constantly created and updated. Yet, lots of work is necessary to
extend a prototype implementation into product for the users. Therefore, there is a growing
need for software with a graphical user interface (GUI) that makes the process of image
analysis easier to perform and at the same time allows for high throughput analysis of raw
data using batch processing and novel algorithms. Main program in this area are written in
Java, but Python grow in bioinformatics and will be nice to allow easy wrap algorithm written
in this language.
Here we present PartSeg, a comprehensive software package implementing several image
processing algorithms that can be used for analysis of microscopic 3D images. Its user
interface has been crafted to speed up workflow of processing datasets in bulk and to allow
for easy modification of algorithm’s parameters. In PartSeg we also include the first public
implementation of Multi-scale Opening algorithm descibed in [1]. PartSeg allows for
segmentation in 3D based on finding connected components. The segmentation results can be
corrected manually to adjust for high noise in the data. Then, it is possible to calculate some
standard statistics like volume, mass, diameter and their user-defined combinations for the
results of the segmentation. Finally, it is possible to superimpose segmented structures using
weighted PCA method. Conclusions: PartSeg is a comprehensive and flexible software
dedicated to help biologists in processing, segmentation, visualization and the analysis of the
large microscopic 3D image data. PartSeg provides well established algorithms in an easy-touse,
intuitive, user-friendly toolbox without sacrificing their power and flexibility.

 

Examples include Chromosome territory analysis.

PartSeg
Description

AssayScope is an intuitive application dedicated to large scale image processing and data analysis. It is meant for histology, cell culture (2D, 3D, 2D+t) and phenotypic analysis. 

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Description

The Allen Cell Structure Segmenter is a Python-based open source toolkit developed at the Allen Institute for Cell Science for 3D segmentation of intracellular structures in fluorescence microscope images.

It consists of two complementary elements:

  1. Classic image segmentation workflows for 20 distinct intracellular structure localization patterns. A visual “lookup table” is outlining the modular algorithmic steps for each segmentation workflow. This provides an intuitive guide for selection or construction of new segmentation workflows for a user’s particular segmentation task. 
  2. Human-in-the-loop iterative deep learning segmentation workflow trained on ground truth manually curated data from the images segmented with the segmentation workflow. Importantly, this module was not released yet.

 

The Allen Cell Structure Segmenter Overview
Description

Labkit is an open-source tool to segment truly large image data using sparse training data. It has an intuitive and responsive user interface based on Big Data Viewer, allowing users to conveniently browse and annotate even terabyte sized image volumes.

Update site: Labkit

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Description

SimpleITK provides a simplified interface to ITK in a variety of languages. A user can either download pre-built binaries, if they are available for the desired platform and language, or SimpleITK can be built from the source code. Currently, Python binaries are available on Microsoft Windows, GNU Linux and Mac OS X. C# and Java binaries are available for Windows. We are also working towards supporting R packaging.

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Description

ZEN and APEER – Open Ecosystem for integrated Machine-Learning Workflows

Open ecosystem for integrated machine-learning workflows to train and use machine-learning models for image processing and image analysis inside the ZEN software or on the APEER cloud-based platform

Highlights ZEN

  • Simple User Interface for Labeling and Training
  • Engineered Features Sets and Deep Feature Extraction + Random Forrest for Semantic Segmentation
  • Object Classification workflows
  • Probability Thresholds and Conditional Random Fields
  • Import your own trained models as *.czann files (see: czmodel · PyPI)
  • Import "AIModel Containes" from arivis AI for advanced Instance Segmentation
  • Integration into ZEN Measurement Framework
  • Support for Multi-dimensional Datasets and Tile Images
  • open and standardized format to store trained models
ZEN Intellesis Segmentation

ZEN Intellesis Segmentation - Training UI

ZEN Intellesis - Pretrained Networks

ZEN Intellesis Segmentation - Use Deep Neural Networks

Intellesis Object Classification

ZEN Object Classification

Highlights Aarivis AI

  • Web-based tool to label datasets to train Deep Neural Networks
  • Fully automated hyper-parameter tuning
  • Export of trained models for semantic segmentation and AIModelContainer for Instance Segmentation
Annotation Tool

APEER Annotation Tool

Description

Quantitative Criterion Acquisition Network (QCA Net) performs instance segmentation of 3D fluorescence microscopic images. QCA Net consists of Nuclear Segmentation Network (NSN) that learned nuclear segmentation task and Nuclear Detection Network (NDN) that learned nuclear identification task. QCA Net performs instance segmentation of the time-series 3D fluorescence microscopic images at each time point, and the quantitative criteria for mouse development are extracted from the acquired time-series segmentation image. The detailed information on this program is described in our manuscript posted on bioRxiv.

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Description

This note presents the design of a scalable software package named ImagePy for analysing biological images. Our contribution is concentrated on facilitating extensibility and interoperability of the software through decoupling the data model from the user interface. Especially with assistance from the Python ecosystem, this software framework makes modern computer algorithms easier to be applied in bioimage analysis.

Description

It implements the template matching function from the OpenCV library. The java interface of OpenCV was done through the javacv library. It is quite similar as the existing template matching plugin but runs much faster and users could choose among six matching methods: 

1.Squared difference

2.Normalized squared difference

3.Cross-correlation

4.Normalized cross-correlation

5.Correlation coefficient

6.Normalized correlation coefficient

The detailed algorithms could be found here.

The cvMatch_Template will search a specific object (image pattern) over an image of interest by the user-specified method. 

Description

Neuroconductor is an open-source platform for rapid testing and dissemination of reproducible computational imaging software, specialized in brain medical imaging (MRI, fMRI, DTI, etc...) but that could be used on a wider range of images. The goals of the project are to:

  • provide a centralized repository of R software dedicated to image analysis;
  • disseminate quickly software updates;
  • educate a large, diverse community of scientists using detailed tutorials and short courses;
  • ensure quality via automatic and manual quality controls; and
  • promote reproducibility of image data analysis.

 

Based on the programming language R, Neuroconductor starts with 68 inter-operable packages that cover multiple areas of imaging including visualization, data processing and storage, and statistical inference. Neuroconductor accepts new R package submissions, which are subject to a formal review and continuous automated testing.

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Description

CaPTk is a software platform for analysis of radiographic cancer images, currently focusing on brain, breast, and lung cancer. CaPTk integrates advanced, validated tools performing various aspects of medical image analysis, that have been developed in the context of active clinical research studies and collaborations toward addressing real clinical needs. With emphasis given in its use as a very lightweight and efficient viewer, and with no prerequisites for substantial computational background, CaPTk aims to facilitate the swift translation of advanced computational algorithms into routine clinical quantification, analysis, decision making, and reporting workflow. Its long-term goal is providing widely used technology that leverages the value of advanced imaging analytics in cancer prediction, diagnosis and prognosis, as well as in better understanding the biological mechanisms of cancer development.

CaPTk
Description

NiftyNet is a TensorFlow-based open-source convolutional neural networks (CNNs) platform for research in medical image analysis and image-guided therapy. NiftyNet’s modular structure is designed for sharing networks and pre-trained models. Using this modular structure you can:

  • Get started with established pre-trained networks using built-in tools;
  • Adapt existing networks to your imaging data;
  • Quickly build new solutions to your own image analysis problems.
Description
HyphaTrackerWorkflow
HyphaTracker Workflow

HyphaTracker propose a workflow for time-resolved analysis of conidia germination. Each part of this workflow can also be used independnatly , as a toolbox. It has been tested on bright-field microscopic images of conidial germination. Its purpose is mainly to identify the germlings and to remove crossing hyphae, and measure the dynamics of their growth.

hyphatracker
Description

LimeSeg: A coarsed-grained lipid membrane simulation for 3D image segmentation

Download instruction:

There is no download but you can easily install this plugin via ImageJ update site. If you reallu need to download the jar file, access the file in the update site repository (Link)

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Description

"An open source machine learning framework for everyone "

TensorFlow™ is an open source software library for high performance numerical computation. Its flexible architecture allows easy deployment of computation across a variety of platforms (CPUs, GPUs, TPUs), and from desktops to clusters of servers to mobile and edge devices. Originally developed by researchers and engineers from the Google Brain team within Google’s AI organization, it comes with strong support for machine learning and deep learning and the flexible numerical computation core is used across many other scientific domains.

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TensorFlow
Description

The MIPAV (Medical Image Processing, Analysis, and Visualization) application enables quantitative analysis and visualization of medical images of numerous modalities such as PET, MRI, CT, or microscopy. Using MIPAV's standard user-interface and analysis tools, researchers at remote sites (via the internet) can easily share research data and analyses, thereby enhancing their ability to research, diagnose, monitor, and treat medical disorders.

Description

Multicut workflow for large connectomics data. Using luigi for pipelining and caching processing steps. Most of the computations are done out-of-core using hdf5 as backend and implementations from nifty

Description

ANTs computes high-dimensional mappings to capture the statistics of brain structure and function.

Image Registration

Diffeomorphisms: SyN, Independent Evaluation: Klein, Murphy, Template Construction (2004)(2010), Similarity Metrics, Multivariate registration, Multiple modality analysis and statistical bias

Image Segmentation

Atropos Multivar-EM Segmentation (link), Multi-atlas methods (link) and JLF, Bias Correction (link), DiReCT cortical thickness (link), DiReCT in chimpanzees

 

Advanced Normalization Tools
Description

vmtk is a collection of libraries and tools for 3D reconstruction, geometric analysis, mesh generation and surface data analysis for image-based modeling of blood vessels.

vmtk is composed of

  • C++ classes (VTK and ITK -based algorithms)
  • Python classes (high-level functionality - each class is a script)
  • PypeS - Python pipeable scripts, a framework which enables vmtk scripts to interact with each other

 

Description

SliceMap

Whole brain tissue slices are commonly used in neurobiological research for analyzing pathological features in an anatomically defined manner. However, since many pathologies are expressed in specific regions of the brain, it is necessary to have an annotation of the regions in the brain slices. Such an annotation can be done by manual delineation, as done most often, or by an automated region annotation tool.

SliceMap is a FIJI/ImageJ plugin for automated brain region annotation of fluorescent brain slices. The plugin uses a reference library of pre-annotated brain slices (the brain region templates) to annotate brain regions of unknown samples. To perform the region annotation, SliceMap registers the reference slices to the sample slice (using elastic registration plugin BUnwarpJ) and uses the resulting image transformations to morph the template regions towards the anatomical brain regions of the sample. The resulting brain regions are saved as FIJI/ImageJ ROI’s (Regions Of Interest) as a single zip-file for each sample slice.

More information can also be found in "SliceMap: an algorithm for automated brain region annotation", Michaël Barbier, Astrid Bottelbergs, Rony Nuydens, Andreas Ebneth, Winnok H De Vos, Bioinformatics, btx658, https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btx658

Example: SliceMaps brain region segmentation
Description

SuRVoS: Super-Region Volume Segmentation workbench

A volume is first partitioned into Super-Regions (superpixels or supervoxels) and then interactively segmented by the user providing training annotations. SuRVoS can then learn from and extend the annotations to the whole volume.

User interface of SuRVoS showing example annotation on soft x-ray tomography data
Description

This project was designed for vectorize and analyze the  blood vessels in the mouse brain.

This plugin requires the definition of seed point detection settings by the user (Semi-automated).

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Description

We have developed a novel approach, named DF-Tracing, to tackle this challenge. This method first extracts the neurite signal (foreground) from a noisy image by using anisotropic filtering and automated thresholding. Then, DF-Tracing executes a coupled distance-field (DF) algorithm on the extracted foreground neurite signal and reconstructs the neuron morphology automatically. Two distance-transform based “force” fields are used: one for “pressure”, which is the distance transform field of foreground pixels (voxels) to the background, and another for “thrust”, which is the distance transform field of the foreground pixels to an automatically determined seed point. The coupling of these two force fields can“push” a “rolling ball” quickly along the skeleton of a neuron, reconstructing the 3D cell morphology.

Simple Tracing - DT-fields
Description

EBImage provides general purpose functionality for image processing and analysis. In the context of (high-throughput) microscopy-based cellular assays, EBImage offers tools to segment cells and extract quantitative cellular descriptors. This allows the automation of such tasks using the R programming language and facilitates the use of other tools in the R environment for signal processing, statistical modeling, machine learning and visualization with image data.

EBImage is available through the Bioconductor software project (www.bioconductor.org). Strengths Lightweight Suitable for automated, scripted analyses All functions are documented with examples Modular links to R and Bioconductor software, notably imageHTS and cellHTS2 Community support via the Bioconductor mailing list Reproducible (image) analysis using the Sweave report-writing system

EBImage
Description

Microscopy Image Browser (MIB) is a high-performance Matlab-based software package for advanced image processing, segmentation and visualization of multi-dimensional (2D-4D) light and electron microscopy datasets.

MIB is a freely available, user-friendly software for effective image processing of multidimensional datasets that improves and facilitates the full utilization of acquired data and enables quantitative analysis of morphological features. Its open-source environment enables fine tuning and possibility of adding new plug-ins to customize the program for specific needs of any research project.

MIB
Description

Spot detector detects and counts spots, based on wavelet transform.

- Detects spots in noisy images 2D/3D.
- Depending on objective, spots can be nuclei, nucleus or cell
- Versatile input: sequence or batch of file.
- Detects spot in specific band/channel.
- Multi band labeling: automaticaly creates ROIs from one band and count in the same or an other band.
- Filters detection by size.
- Sort detection by ROIs
- Output data in XLS Excel files: number of detection by ROIs, and each detection location and size.
- Outputs withness image with ROIs and detection painted on it.
- Outputs binary detection image.
- Displays detections
- Displays tags

logo spot detector
Description

This is the "prediction step" of the Pyxit segmentation model builder. It is a learnable segmentation algorithm based on ground-truth images and segmentation mask. It learns a multiple output pixel classification algorithm. It downloads from Cytomine-Core annotation images+alphamasks from project(s), build a segmentation (pixel classifier) model which is saved locally. Typical application: tumor detection in tissues in histology slides. 

Pyxit example
Description

This is a learnable segmentation algorithm based on ground-truth images and segmentation mask. It learns a multiple output pixel classification algorithm. It downloads from Cytomine-Core annotation images+alphamasks from project(s), build a segmentation (pixel classifier) model which is saved locally. Typical application: tumor detection in tissues in histology slides. It is based on "Fast Multi-Class Image Annotation with Random Subwindows and Multiple Output Randomized Trees" http://orbi.ulg.ac.be/handle/2268/12205 and was used in "A hybrid human-computer approach for large-scale image-based measurements using web services and machine learning" http://orbi.ulg.ac.be/handle/2268/162084?locale=en

Segmentation illustration
Description

This is the source code and data page of a distributed parallel algorithm 2683 for segmentation of large fluorescence microscopy images.

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Description

Image-processing algorithms developed at the MOSAIC Group for fluorescence microscopy. Tools included:

  • 2D/3D single-particle tracking tool which can be used to track bright spots in 2D/3D movies over time.
  • Optimal filament segmentation of 2D images. 
  • Curvature filters for image filtering, denoising, and restoration. 
  • Image naturalization for image enhancement based on gradient statistics of natural-scence images. 
  • Tool for automatically send and distribute jobs on clusters and get back the results.
  • Multi-region image segmentation of 2D and 3D images without needing to know the number of regions beforehand. 
  • Squassh for globally optimal segmentation of piecewise constant regions in 2D and 3D images and for object-based co-localization analysis. 
  • Tool for inferring spatial interactions between patterns of objects in images or between coordinates read from a file.
  • Tool for robust, histogram-based background subtraction well suited to correct for inhomogeneous illumination artifacts.
  • A tool to estimate the Point-Spread Function of the microscopy out of 2D fluorescence images.
  • A tool to measure the 3D Point-Spread Function of a confocal microscope from an image stack.
  • Addition of synthetic Poisson-distributed noise to an image in order to simulate shot noise of various signal-to-noise ratios. 
  • Convolution of an image with a Bessel function in order to simulate imaging with a microscope. 
  • A utility to detect bright spots in images and estimate their center. 
  • A utility to create manual segmentations to be used as ground truth to test and benchmark automatic segmentation algorithms.
  • A tool for replacing one color in an image with another color.
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Description

Free-D is a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and modeling software. It allows to generate, process and analyze 3D point and surface models from stacks of 2D images. Free-D is an integrated software, offering in a single graphical user interface all the functionalities required for 3D modeling. It runs on Linux, Windows, and MacOS. Free-D is developed by the Modeling and Digital Imaging team of the Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA Versailles, France.

Description

Free-D (http://free-d.versailles.inra.fr/) is a 3D reconstruction and modeling software. It is multiplatform, free (but not open source) tool for academic research and teaching.

Here is how to proceed, using Free-D:

1. Segmentation:

* load (a collection of) individual 3d stacks

* (optional for serial sections) perform a 2D registration to align image slices

* segment/reconstruct 3D contours using snakes

* segment 3D spots

2. Construct average cell:

* normalize the contours to compute a average cell, by registering/warping 3D contours/surfaces

3. Quantification:

* project each individual cell to the average one

* build density maps to analyze (cartography)

A few notes for current software version (till 10/2016):

* input file format: tiff (not able to import bioformats)

* currently results are saved in customized format, but there is an exportor to convert this format into fiji readable one

* import already generated contours is on the software's TODO list

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Description

It is a tool to visualize and annotate volume image data of electron microscopy. Users can annotate objects (e.g. neurons) and skeleton structures. It provides the ability to overlaying the image data with user annotations, representing the spatial structure and the connectivity of labeled objects, and displaying a three dimensional model of it. It can be extended by plugins written in python. A similar, web-based implementation is being developed at webknossos.info. Example datasets are also available.

Annotation in Knossos
Description

MorphoLibJ is a library of plugin for ImageJ with functionalities for image processing such as filtering, reconstructing, segmenting, etc... Tools are based on Mathematical morphology with more rigorous mathematical approach than in the standard tools of ImageJ in particular for surface (or perimeter) measurements which are usually based on voxel counting.  

http://imagej.net/MorphoLibJ#Measurements

Among the features:

Morphological operations :  Dilation, Erosion, Opening,  Closing , Top hat (white and black), Morphological gradient (aka Beucher Gradient), Morphological Laplacian, Morphological reconstruction, Maxima/Minima , Extended Maxima/Minima -Watershed (classic or controlled) -Image overlay -Image labelling -Geodesic diameter -Region Adjacency Graph -Granulometry curves, morphological image analysis.

 

several steps of morphological segmentation of plant tissue using MorphoLibJ.
Description

When trying to isolate objects, one strategy might be to use regular morphological operations (opening/closing) to remove small objects that are not of interest. In case small objects are made of a large number of pixels, this operation might impair the remaining objects' contours. An alternative strategy might be to use morphological reconstruction. In short, seed is placed on the image, on objects, then conditional dilation is performed from those seeds.

Here is how to proceed, using MorphoLibJ:

  1. Open an image
  2. Use the multi-point selection tool and place seeds on objects of interest
  3. Create a new image of same size, black background
  4. Transfer the selection to the new image (Edit/Selection/Restore selection)
  5. Draw (make sure you're using white foreground) the multiple point selection
  6. Launch the Morphological reconstruction plugin: Plugins > MorphoLibJ > Morphological reconstruction
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Description

ABSnake can segment complex structures in 2D images as well as 3D or temporal images. It uses a new active contour model based on a geometrical approach for correctly following invaginated structures.

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Description

MosaicIA is a tool to analyze the spatial distribution of objects in images. It estimates from an observed particle or object distribution what hypothetical interaction between the objects is most likely to have created this distribution.

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Description

In this case study, MATLAB, the Image Processing and Signal Processing toolboxes were used to determine the green intensities from a small portion of a microarray image containing 4,800 spots. A 10x10 pattern of spots was detected by averaging rows and columns to produce horizontal and vertical profiles. Periodicity was determined automatically by autocorrelation and used to form an optimal length filter for morphological background removal. A rectangular grid of bounding boxes was defined. Each spot was individually addressed and segmented by thresholding to form a mask. The mask was used to isolate each spot from surrounding background. Individual spot intensity was determined by integrating pixel intensities. Finally, integrated intensities were tabulated and saved to a data file for subsequent statistical analysis to determine which genes matter most.

Description

Quote

Perfect for the beginner, this demo illustrates simple object detection (segmentation, feature extraction), measurement, and filtering. Requires the Image Processing Toolbox (IPT) because it demonstrates some functions supplied by that toolbox, plus it uses the "coins" demo image supplied with that toolbox. If you have the IPT (you can check by typing ver on the command line), you should be able to run this demo code simply by copying and pasting this code into a new editor window, and then clicking the green "run" triangle on the toolbar. First finds all the objects, then filters results to pick out objects of certain sizes. The basic concepts of thresholding, labeling, and regionprops are demonstrated with a simple example.

It's a good tutorial for those users new to MATLAB's image processing capabilities to learn on, before they go on to more sophisticated algorithms.

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Description

A workflow template to analyze subcellular structures in fluorescence 2D/3D microscopy images based on a Fiji plugin **Squassh** is described in Rizek et al (2014).

The workflow employs detecting, segmenting, and quantifying subcellular structures. For segmentation, it accounts for the microscope optics and for uneven image background. Further analyses include both colocalization and shape analyses. However, it does not work directly for time-lapse data. A brief summary note can be found here.

Description

An example macro introduced in the documentation page of the ImageJ plugin Trainable Weka Segmentation (in Fiji, it's bundled). A segmentation protocol based on machine learning. Full macro is available in the "Download" Link. 

This plugin can be trained to learn from the user input and perform later the same task in unknown (test) data. Weka: it makes use of all the powerful tools and classifiers from the latest version of Weka. Segmentation: it provides a labeled result based on the training of a chosen classifier. Trainable Weka Segmentation Complete macro example is at the end of the page.

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Description

This article Baslat et al. presents a method to compute Lymphatic Vessel Density on an image of the whole slide (a workflow documented as text).

Vessels are obtained with a Maximum Entropy Thresholding applied on the excess Red channel (2 times the red values minus blue+green value). Stroma tissue is obtained with a Moment Preserving Thresholding on the blue channel.

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Description

CellX is an open-source software package of workflow template for cell segmentation, intensity quantification, and cell tracking on a variety of microscopy images with distinguishable cell boundary.

Installation and step-by-step usage details are described in Mayer et al (2013). 

After users provide a few annotations of cell sizes and cell boundary profiles, it tries to match boundary profile pattern on cells thus provide segmentation and further tracking. It works the best on cells without extreme shapes and with a rather homogeneous boundary pattern. It may not work well on images with cells of sizes only a few pixels. Its output comprises control images for visual validation, text files for post-processing statistics, and MATLAB objects for advanced subsequent analysis.

Description

This macro recognizes wells in a picture from a multi-well plate (it works also on a picture of a single well). It is used to segment a picture to determine the number of "Colony Forming Units" in each individual well of a plate.

The steps are the following:

  1. Makes a 8-bit B&W picture, inverts it (=> borders will look white instead of black), resizes it (optional, this is to speed-up convolution thereafter) and find edges.
  2. Convolves the obtained picture with a kernel corresponding to a thick white circle of the size of the wells. The resulting image has big "blobs" or "particles" corresponding roughly to the centers of the well.
  3. The image is thresholded to remove particles not corresponding to strong hits and "Analyze particle" is run.
  4. The measured parameter is the center of mass of the particles which gives the center of the well. These are saved in an array.
  5. Circles are drawn and added to the ROI manager. The centers of the circles are the identified centers of mass of the particles and their radius is the expected radius of the wells in the original image.
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Description

This method allows to compute a threshold that preserves the moments of an image. In ImageJ/Fiji, you can access it in Image->Ajust->Threshold and choose Moments in the list. In Aphelion, the tool is in Segmentation->Threshold->AphImgMomentThreshold The original paper is 2449

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Description

SlideToolkit is a collection of command-line tools to assist with the automated histology analysis of whole-slide images. The publication linked in the "reference" details the actual workflow. 

This includes tools to organize the data, perform tiling and subsequent batch processing of the generated tiles in a cell profiler pipeline. All the tools are designed to run on a single PC or on a HPC system. The scripts in the toolkit are on github under MIT licence.

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Description

This workflow classifies, or segments, the pixels of an image given user annotations. It is especially suited if the objects of interests are visually (brightness, color, texture) distinct from their surrounding. Users can iteratively select pixel features and provide pixel annotations through a live visualization of selected feature values and current prediction responses. Upon users' satisfaction, the workflow then predicts the remaining unprocessed image(s) regions or new images (as batch processing). Users can export (as images of various formats): selected features, annotations, predicted classification probability, simple segmentation, etc. This workflow is often served as one of the first step options for other workflows offered by ilastik, such as object classification, automatic tracking.

Description

Requires Matlab Runtime Environment or Matlab. Source code (m-files) are downloaded. Software availability: AVeMap was developed under MATLAB (MathWorks). It is available as an executable, multiplatform program, together with source codes and documentation here, and the source code is also available as Supplementary Software. For practical reasons, this executable version, which does not require MATLAB, runs on a single processor. For users who want to customize the software and/or need the power of parallel computing, an installation of MATLAB with its 'parallel' and 'image processing' toolboxes is needed. Note that, even with the executable version, the velocity fields are stored for further analysis. The add-on AVeMap+ uses these AVeMap-computed velocity fields to generate heat map tables. It is available with the same link.

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Description

In this example, cells are grown as a tissue monolayer. Rather than identifying individual cells, this pipeline quantifies the area occupied by the tissue sample.

 

Download package also contains example images. 

Description

This workflow classifies objects based on object-level features (e.g. intensity based, morphology based, etc) and user annotations. It needs segmentation images besides the raw image data. Segmentation images can be obtained from ilastik pixel classification, or binary segmentation images from other tools. Within the object classification, one can prefilter objects through thresholds (on pixel probability image) or object sizes (on segmentation image). Outputs are predicted classification label images. Selected features can also be exported. Advanced users also have possibilities to add customized (object) features for classification in a simple plugin fashion through python scripts.

Description

This workflow is used to track multiple (appear/disappear, dividing and merging) objects in presumably big 2D+t or 3D+t datasets. It is best suitable for roundish objects or spots. Tracking is done through segmentation, which can be obtained from ilastik pixel classification, or imported from other tools. Users should provide a few object level labels, and the software predicts results on the rest of the image or new images with similar image characteristics. As a result, all objects get assigned random IDs at the first frame of the image sequence and all descendants in the same track (also children objects such as daughter cells) inherit this ID.

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Description

The original paper describes a method to analyze mitochondrial morphology in 2D and 3D.

Description

Task

Quantify the length of microtubules (MT) and the MT average density per cell.

Workflow descriptions

Simple two step workflow, allowing visual & manual correction of microtubule between the 2 steps. Batch measurement of microtubule lengths for multiple images is achieved by segmenting the MTs and then their skeletonizations. The number of pixels in the microtubule is proportional to their length, so the length can be estimated.

Script

Workflow is written as an ImageJ macro (Fiji) with following steps:

1. The enhancement of tubular structure by computing eigenvalues of the hessian matrix on a Gaussian filtered version of the image ( sigma 1 pixel), as implemented in the tubeness plugin.

2. The tubules were then thresholded , and structures containing less than 3 pixels were discarded.

3. If needed, a visual check and correction of segmented microtubule is then performed.

4. After correction, segmented MTs were then reduced to a 1-pixel thick line using the skeletonize plugin of Fiji. The length of the skeletonized microtubules was then directly proportional to their length.

5. Data were grouped by condition and converted back to micrometers units under Matlab for the statistical tests.

Pitfalls

Commented but not that general without editing some fields in the macros.

Sample Data

Sample data and workflow (see above URL) can be accessed by - login: biii - password Biii!

Misc

3D version also available here. Use of components Skeletonize and Tubeness Filter

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Description

Tracking of focal adhesions includes a number of challenges:

  1. Detection of focal adhesion regions in areas of highly variable background
  2. Separation of "clumped" adhesions in different objects.
  3. Dynamics: Focal adhesions dynamically, grow, shrink, change their shape, they can fuse with neighboring adhesions or one adhesion can be split into multiple children.

Würflinger et al (2011) describe how to detect focal adhesion objects and how to track them over time. Interestingly, tracking results are fed back to segmentation to improve separation of clumped adhesions.

The authors implemented the workflow in Matlab, but do not provide a ready-to-use script.

Description

This macro segments blood vessels in a 3D stack. It is suited for well-contrasted images (low background) and works better if the width of the vessels of interest is reasonably uniform.

 

Sample image: 1

sample image: 2

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Description

This macro performs measurements of average and standard deviation intensity inside wells of a protein microarray (the number of wells is limited to 250, the image should be cropped for larger arrays). The macro requires the "ImageJ plugins toolkit". To ensure compatibility with Fiji you should download the version 1.6.1The installation instructions can be found here, it only consists in un-compressing the .jar file from the previous archive to Fiji plugins folder.

 

sample image: link

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Description

Quote:

This pipeline shows how to identify smaller objects (foci) within larger objects (nuclei) and how to use the Relate module to establish a relationship between the two as well as perform per-object aggregate measurements (such as number of foci per nucleus). Sample images are included in the download package.

Description

Simple workflow description for ImageJ, step-by-step description for delineating focal adhesions, count and characterize their positions.  

Measurement of dynamics is not involved.

Description

This macro is meant to segment the cells of a multicellular tissue. It is written for images showing highly contrasted and uniformly stained cell membranes. The geometry of the cells and their organization is automatically extracted and exported to an ImageJ results table. This includes: Cell area, major, minor fitted ellipse radii + major axis orientation and number of neighbors of the cells. Manual correction of the automatic segmentation is supported (merge split cells, split merged cells).

Sample image data is available in the documentation page. 

Description

Simple macro to separates blobs.

  • Load the ImageJ sample image "Blobs"
  • Run the plugin Morphological Segmentation
  • Display the overlaid

This macro depends on "Morphological Segmentation" component of the MorphoLibJ library, which should be installed via update sites.

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Description

This macro was designed to measure the size of the scratch wound in a wound scratch assay. It uses an edge-detection and thresholding technique.

It will batch process all images in a directory. Images captured by time-lapse should be compiled into stacks using a tool similar to "Metamorph nd & ROI files importer (nd stack builder)" by Fabrice P. Cordelières. Images to be analyzed should be placed in one directory (Source Directory). A second directory should be created to save results files and images (Destination Directory). Setting correct Lower and Upper thresholds is important to obtain a good result. Two macros are available, one using edge detection, the second one using background subtraction.

Description

ITK-SNAP is a software application used to segment structures in 3D medical images. It can also be used as a 3D annotation tool for deep learning. It is based on ITK, VTK libraries.

Description

**Collaborative Annotation Toolkit for Massive Amounts of Image Data** CATMAID is a Collaborative Annotation Toolkit for Massive Amounts of Image Data. It is designed to navigate, share and collaboratively annotate massive image data sets of biological specimens. The interface is inspired by GoogleMaps, with which it shares basic navigation concepts, enhanced to allow the exploration of 3D biological image data acquired by optical or physical sectioning microscopy techniques. The interface enables seamless sharing of regions of interest through bookmarks and synchronized navigation through multiple registered data sets. With massive biological image data sets it is unrealistic to create a sustainable centralized repository. A unique feature of CATMAID is its partially decentralized architecture where the presented image data can reside on any Internet accessible server and yet can be easily cross-referenced in the central database. In this way no image data are duplicated and the data producers retain full control over their images. CATMAID is intended to serve as data sharing platform for biologists using high-resolution imaging techniques to probe large specimens. Any high-throughput, high-content imaging project such as gene expression pattern screens would benefit from the interface for data sharing and annotation.

CATMAID
Description

Acquiarium is for carrying out the common pipeline of many spatial cell studies using fluorescence microscopy. It addresses image capture, raw image correction, image segmentation, quantification of segmented objects and their spatial arrangement, volume rendering, and statistical evaluation. It is focused on quantification of spatial properties of many objects and their mutual spatial relations in a collection of many 3D images. It can be used for analysis of a collection of 2D images or time lapse series of 2D or 3D images as well. It has a modular design and is extensible via plug-ins. It is a stand-alone, easy to install application written in C++ language. The GUI is written using cross-platform wxWidgets library.

Functionalities

ITK

Description

ITK is an open-source, cross-platform system that provides developers with an extensive suite of software tools for image analysis.

Developed through extreme programming methodologies, ITK employs leading-edge algorithms for registering and segmenting multidimensional data. It is widely used and contributed in the medical imaging field.

Strengths

Highly optimized C++, well commented Consistently updated (new) algorithms many tools and softwares are built upon it connected with VTK Insight Journal (open code and sample data) Extensive list of examples & tutorials

Limitations

yet detached from the bioimage analysis world hard to use for end users without development skills

itk
Description

ilastik is a simple, user-friendly tool for interactive image classification, segmentation and analysis. It is built as a modular software framework, which currently has workflows for automated (supervised) pixel- and object-level classification, automated and semi-automated object tracking, semi-automated segmentation and object counting without detection. Most analysis operations are performed lazily, which enables targeted interactive processing of data subvolumes, followed by complete volume analysis in offline batch mode. Using it requires no experience in image processing.

ilastik (the image learning, analysis, and segmentation toolkit) provides non-experts with a menu of pre-built image analysis workflows. ilastik handles data of up to five dimensions (time, 3D space, and spectral dimension). Its workflows provide an interactive experience to give the user immediate feedback on the quality of the results yielded by her chosen parameters and/or labelings.

The most commonly used workflow is pixel classification, which requires very little parameter tuning and instead offers a machine learning technique for segmenting an image based on local image features computed for each pixel.

Other workflows include:

Object classification: Similar to pixel classification, but classifies previously segmented objects by object characteristics in a subsequent step

Autocontext: This workflow improves the pixel classification workflow by running it in multiple stages and showing each pixel the results of the previous stage.

Carving: Semi-automated segmentation of 3D objects (e.g. neurons) based on user-provided seeds

Manual Tracking: Semi-automated cell tracking of 2D+time or 3D+time images based on manual annotations

Automated tracking: Fully-automated cell tracking of 2D+time or 3D+time images with some parameter tuning

Density Counting: Learned cell population counting based on interactively provided user annotation

Strengths: interactive, simple interface (for non-experts), few parameters, larger-than-RAM data, multi-dimensional data (time, 3D space, channel), headless operation, batch mode, parallelized computation, open source

Weaknesses: Pre-built workflows (not reconfigurable), no plugin system, visualization sometimes buggy, must import 3D data to HDF5, tracking requires an external CPLEX installation

Supported Formats: hdf5, tiff, jpeg, png, bmp, pnm, gif, hdr, exr, sif

Description

Semi-automated segmentation of 3D objects (e.g. neurons) based on user-provided seeds.

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Description

Image segmentation based on the MOSAIC Discrete region competition algorithm. 

Description

This plugin can be used for inferring spatial interactions between patterns of spot-like objects in images or between coordinates read from a file. 

Description

WIS-PhagoTracker is a software application for quantitative analysis of high throughput cell migration assay. The cell migration assay is based on a modified Phagokinetic tracks procedure, in which motile cells "leave their tracks" on a specialized surface. These tracks are visualized using a screening microscope.

WIS-PhagoTracker enables morphometric analysis of such tracks. It uses multiscale segmentation algorithm for fine detection of tracks and cells boundaries.

Following the segmentation step, it quantifies various morphometric parameters for each track, such as track area, perimeter, major and minor axis and solidity. All these measures are calculated for each track in each well of a well plate and saved for further statistical analysis WIS-PhagoTracker supports all the analysis phases starting from preprocessing, finding tracks of selected wells or a whole plate, through viewing the results and manually rejecting tracks to statistical analysis of the results. It also supports batch processing of several plates, and analysis of single image files. A user interface enables the user to modify the relevant parameters of the process, according to specific image's requirements.

Results are exported into Excel readable files.

Description

WIS-NeuroMath - is a software tool for automated analysis and quantification of fluorescent microscopy images of Nerve cells, in both in vivo and in vitro preparations. It allows for accurate detection of neurites in challenging images. Following neurite detection, different types of processing can be carried: Cell Morphology of cultured neurons, Neurite Length Analysis and Ganglion Explant Analysis. Usefull also for angiogenesis analysis.

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Description

This plugin threshold an image using the Maximum Entropy algorithm, which aims at maximizing the inter-class entropy. Entropy is defined as -sum(p.*log2(p)), where p contains the histogram bin counts. This thresholding is very useful to segment images with few bright objects on large dark background. In ImageJ/FIJI you can acces this tool in Image->Adjust->Threshold and choose in the list In Aphelion, you can access this tool in Seglmentation->Threshold-> AphImgEntropyThreshold

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Description

Drop Shape Analysis is a collection of two methods (DropSnake and LBADSA) for high-accuracy measure of contact angles for drop measurement.

Description

Image segmentation by representative colors selection. Two versions are available :

  • thresholding
  • positive and negative colors selection and SVM learning
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Description

IdentifySecondaryObjects identifies objects (e.g., cells) using objects identified by another module (e.g., nuclei) as a starting point.

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Description

This plugin extracts groups of connected pixels in 2D and 3D based on their intensity and that of the background. Works on both binary and gray-scale data. Output can be pushed to the swimming pool for other plug-ins to further exploit the extracted objects.

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Description

Plugin designed to allow easy semi-automatic tracing of neurons or other filament-like structures (e.g., microtubules, blood vessels) through either 2D images or 3D image stacks. Data can be imported and exported in SWC files for interaction with other software, or details of the traces can be exported as CSV files for analysis in spreadsheets or statistical software.

This plugin is included in Fiji by default.

Description

Plugins for 3D Image processing and Analyisis in ImageJ. Previously (?) known as 3D ImageJ Suite.

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Description

This segmentation method performs a N-class thresholding based on a K-Means classification of the image histogram, then extracts objects in a bottom-up manner using user-defined minimum and maximum object sizes. Very useful to detect clustered objects in fluorescence microscopy.

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Description

Identify objects (as nuclei) within an image without needing the assistance of another cellular feature (as cell). 

CellProfiler
Description

MembraneQuant performs automatic evaluation on IHC membrane stainings (HER2, EGFR etc).

Using color deconvolution, MembraneQuant detects cell membrane and measures staining intensity on the chromogen channel. This way it is possible to calibrate the software to the actual stain protocol in the pathology lab. The algorithm categorizes the detected membrane to weak positive, medium positive and strong positive classes.

This software has an IVD certification for HER2 quantification.

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MembraneQuant
Description

This is an icy package that encapsulates tools to design and implement parametric active contours. The package provides fast 2D and 3D filters for image preprocessing, and a framework to create and evolve snakes defined by a set of control points.

Description

This software implements an active contour (a.k.a. snake) segmentation method using exponential splines as basis functions to represent the outline of the shape. While the snake is versatile enough to provide a good approximation of any closed curve in the plane, its most important feature is that it perfectly reproduces circular and elliptical shapes. These features are very appropriate to delineate cross sections of cylindrical-like conduits and to outline blob-like objects.

Description

Choose the best auto thresholding technique for your data. 

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Description

This module lets you outline the objects in an image using the mouse.

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Description

The Graph Cut plugin provides a way to obtain a globally smooth binary segmentation. As input, you have to provide a gray-scale image that represents the pixel affinities for belonging to the foreground. Via a single parameter you can adjust the smoothness of the segmentation.

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Description

The Trainable Weka Segmentation is a Fiji plugin that combines a collection of machine learning algorithms with a set of selected image features to produce pixel-based segmentations. Weka (Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis) can itself be called from the plugin. It contains a collection of visualization tools and algorithms for data analysis and predictive modeling, together with graphical user interfaces for easy access to this functionality. As described on their wikipedia site, the advantages of Weka include: - freely availability under the GNU General Public License - portability, since it is fully implemented in the Java programming language and thus runs on almost any modern computing platform - a comprehensive collection of data preprocessing and modeling techniques - ease of use due to its graphical user interfaces - Weka supports several standard data mining tasks, more specifically, data preprocessing, clustering, classification, regression, visualization, and feature selection.

The main goal of this plugin is to work as a bridge between the Machine Learning and the Image Processing fields. It provides the framework to use and, more important, compare any available classifier to perform image segmentation based on pixel classification.

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