1. Intelligent Medical Image Analyzer
Benjamin Aribisala – Lagos State University – Nigeria
e-Research Summer Hackfest – Catania (Italy)

2. Outline Background Scientific problem Aims and benefits Use Case
Workflow
Implementation strategy
Summary and Conclusion

3. Study Background
Medical images are images acquired from humans or animals
Medical images are used for clinical diagnosis, treatment and patient management.
There are many methods of acquiring medical images. Each method has specific use, strengths or weaknesses
Medical Image analysis and computer vision provides a platform for developing computational techniques for converting the raw images to meaningful information.

4. Scientific Problem
Some of the challenges in the field of medical image analysis
Imaging equipment are very expensive
Image acquisition is very expensive
There are limited availability of medical image analysts in Nigeria
Limited collaboration efforts and ability to share expertise amongst clinical experts
The advancements in internet technology, data communication and reduction in hardware cost has led to the birth of Science Gateway
Science Gateway can help in solving medical image analysis problems by offering tools for
Creating of image repository
Making image analysis tools available
Making workflow available
Adapting some of the tools to make them intelligent
Science Gateway is in top gear in the developed world but very sluggish in Africa
In particular, there is no platform for image analysis in Africa

5. Project’s Aim and Benefits
The aim of this project is to develop and implement an e-infrastructure which will contain a repository of medical images acquired in Africa. The infrastructure will contain image analysis tools which will allow users to be able to upload and analyze their images.
BENEFITS
It is our hope that such useful, rear and unique tool could lead to
Improved and timely diagnosis
Improved patient management
Increased life expectancy
Encourage collaboration
Safes cost of travelling to see other experts

6. Use Case
An e-infrastructure which will contain a repository of medical images acquired from Africa. It will also contain some tools for analyzing medical images. Users will be able to upload images and the proposed system will analyze and return outputs. The proposed system will also have the ability to advise users on how to make sense from their images.
This e-infrastructure will be useful for
Clinicians
Researchers
Postgraduate students – guidance and analyzer
Users can get specific information from medical images.

7. Work Flow Build the repository using gLibrary and Onedata
Develop a web interface to allow users access tools on the platform. Use PhP and MySQL
Develop a platform for uploading of images. Use Onedata
Make image processing tools available on the platform. Use MATLAB, FSL and SPM
Develop technique to allow user to be able to select specific tool. Use kepler
Develop a report generation module
Build intelligence into the system using Expert system development approach

8. Scenario – Analysis of brain MRI images
Medical images, e.g. Brain Images will be acquired and uploaded into the repository
Users will have the opportunity to select the kind of image analysis or processing to perform on the images
The web interface will allow users to select a single image processing step or a group of processing steps
Some of the image analysis steps
Image format conversion
Brain extraction
Image segmentation
Image registration and extraction of information specific to certain anatomy.
A report generation module will allow the user to receive specific information on the images analyzed

9. Implementation Strategy
Install FG, Kepler, INDIGO and other related tools
Install image analysis tools
Develop image processing pipeline for image analysis steps
Develop the proposed e-infrastructure using relevant tools
Use relevant science gateway tools to create a repository for brain MRI images
Develop a web interface for the proposed tool
Develop the authorization and authentication modules using the relevant tools

10. Summary and conclusion
Develop a pilot version of the medical image analyzer using brain images which will allow users to upload medical images and analyze them
Future Plan
Seek funding support for full implementation
Include other types of medical images
Include other human anatomies
Opened to collaboration

11. Special Appreciation to Roberto Barbera and Simon Taylor
Thank you!
sci-gaia.eu
Special Appreciation to Roberto Barbera and Simon Taylor