2017 IEEE 37th International Conference on Electronics and Nanotechnology (ELNANO)
Medical Image Contrast Enhancement Based on
Histogram
Elena S. Yelmanova
Department of Electronics and Computer Technologies
Lviv Polytechnic National University
Lviv, Ukraine
yelmanova@lp.edu.ua
Abstract — The problem of image enhancement for low-
contrast medical images with complex structure was considered.
The histogram-based method for automatic contrast enhancement
of low-contrast images with small-size objects on the basis of the
analyzing of contrast distribution at boundaries of objects and
background was proposed. The proposed method is intended for
automatic preprocessing of complex medical images with small-size
low-contrast objects (with the details) in image. The research of the
effectiveness for the proposed and the well-known histogram-based
methods of automatic contrast enhancement were conducted using
the known no-reference contrast metrics.
Keywords — image; contras; enhancement; low-contrast;
small-size; automatic; histogram.
I. INTRODUCTION
Medical imaging techniques like Computed Tomography
scan (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), X-ray and
Ultrasound are a very important tool in solving many
problems in medicine. Image enhancement plays a key role in
analyzing medical images for different diagnosing methods.
Currently, the development of new effective techniques of
pre-processing for image enhancement is one of the most
important tasks of medical imaging and diagnostics. Wide
applying of modern technologies of contactless remote
sensing, imaging and image processing in a variety of medical
applications makes the automatic quality enhancement of the
formed medical images more relevant than ever.
The objective quality of medical image is characterized by
several basic parameters [1]. Contrast is the most important
characteristic which determines the objective quality of the
image, as well as the efficiency and the accuracy of its
subsequent analysis and interpretation [2]. The development of
new effective technologies of automatic contrast enhancement
with low computational cost for imaging and medical image
processing in real-time is a very urgent task [2]. Particularly
relevant is the solution to the problem of effective contrast
enhancement of the small-sized low-contrast objects (of details)
on multi-element images with complex structure.
For automatic processing of medical image in real time of
greatest interest are the methods of global histogram
modifications, such as histogram equalization and its
978-1-5386-1701-4/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE
Yuriy M. Romanyshyn
Department of Electronics and Computer Technologies
Lviv Polytechnic National University
Lviv, Ukraine
University of Warmia and Mazury
Olsztyn, Poland
yuriy.romanyshyn1@gmail.com
modifications [2, 3], histogram stretching and its modifications
[4], non-linear imaging techniques (logarithmic, exponential
and power functions, etc.) [2, 4].
Known histogram methods are based on the global brightness
distribution characteristics and do not account the brightness
distribution features at the borders and inside elements (objects
and background) of image, and also do not account for the
distribution of contrast values of image elements.
A main shortcoming for the majority of known histogram-
based methods of contrast enhancement is the possible
reduction of contrast of small-size objects in image [3]. The
effective contrast enhancement of the small-size objects on the
image is possible by the analysis the contrast distribution at
the boundaries of objects and background.
The problem of developing of histogram-based methods of
contrast enhancement for complex images with the low-
contrast small-size objects is considered.
The object of study is the process of image contrast
enhancement. The subject of study is the histogram-based methods
of contrast enhancement for complex low-contrast images.
The purpose of the work is to improve the effectiveness of
contrast enhancement for complex low-contrast images with
the small-size objects.
In this paper the histogram-based method for automatic
contrast enhancement on the basis of the analyzing of the
contrast distribution at the boundaries of image elements for
the known definitions of contrast kernels is proposed (Section
II). Research of the well-known and proposed histogram-
based methods was conducted using the known no-reference
contrast metrics for a series of complex images (Section III).
II. THE PROPOSED METHOD
In this paper, the method of image contrast enhancement on
the basis of the equalization of the contrast distribution at the
boundaries of objects and background on the image is proposed.
For the contrast enhancement of the current image it is
offered the transformation of the form [2]
yi = y min + ( y max − y min ) ⋅ F ( xi ) , (1)
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where xi, yi - brightness of initial image X and transformed
image Y, ymax, ymin - the maximum and minimum brightness of
transformed image Y, F(x) - transformation function for initial
image X.
For image contrast enhancement we propose the adaptive
transformation of the current initial image of the form
xi 1
F ( xi ) =  f con (xn ) dxn /  f con (xm ) dxm ,
0 0
where fcon (xi) - normalized function of distribution of average
contrast for the given adaptation level xi.
It is assumed that the current image consists of a finite
number of equivalent elements (objects and background).
Let us consider the normalized function fcon (x0) of the
averaged contrast for a given values of adaptation level x0
Arbitrary form of the contrast definition of image elements
(of the contrast kernel) was used in (3). For contrast enhancement
of the complex images it was proposed to use a well-known
definition of weighted contrast [4] and contrast definition which
is invariant to linear transformations of brightness scale [5]
C1 (x1 , x 2 ) = ( x1 − x 2 ) / (x1 + x2 ) , (8)
(2) C 2 ( x1 , x 2 ) = (x1 − x2 ) / (x max − x min ) , (9)
where xmax, xmin - the maximum and the minimum values of
brightness of the image.
The proposed algorithm of image contrast enhancement is
defined in accordance with (1), (2), (6)-(9). Comparative
analysis of the efficiency of contrast enhancement for the well-
known and proposed method of image processing was carried
out in Section III.

1 III. RESEARCH
f con (x0 ) = C ( x0 , xi ) ⋅ r (x0 , xi ) dxi ,
 (3)
0 A. The methodic of the experimental research
Research of the effectiveness of the proposed and known
where C(x0, xi) – contrast definitions for two image
methods were carried out by measuring the contrast for the
elements (contrast kernel), r(x0, xi) - two-dimensional density
four groups of test images using known no-reference metrics
distribution of the brightness values; x0 - the value of
of image contrast. Four low contrast medical images with
adaptation level.
complex structure were used as the initial images (Fig.1 [6],
It is assumed that the current image consists of a finite Fig.2 [7], Fig.3 [8] and Fig.4 [9]).
number of equivalent elements (objects and background)
which do not influence on each other (which are independent
on each other).
For the case where image elements are independent events
relatively to each other

1
f con (x0 ) = r (x0 ) ⋅ C (x0 , xi ) ⋅ r ( xi ) dxi ,
 (4)
0
where
1

 ( )
r (xi ) = p (xi )γ / p x j γ dx j , (5)
0
where p(xi) - probability density function of the brightness in
image; γ - the value of the exponent, parameter.
Then for (3) by (4), (5), we obtain

1
f con (x0 ) = p (x0 )γ ⋅ C ( x0 , xi ) ⋅ p (xi ) γ dxi / N x2 , (6)

0
where
1
Fig. 1. The first initial image (X-ray image of a human skull) and its
N x = p (xi ) γ dxi .
 (7) normalized histogram.
0

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 2017 IEEE 37th International Conference on Electronics and Nanotechnology (ELNANO)

Fig. 4. The fourth initial image (fundoscopic appearance) and its normalized
histogram.

Each group of test images consisted of the initial image

and of the results of its processing with the use of various (the
most well-known and proposed) contrast enhancement
Fig. 2. The second initial image (angiography of brain) and its normalized
histogram.
methods by histogram transformation.
Four groups of test images are the results of processing of
the four corresponding reference images (Fig.1, Fig.2, Fig.3
and Fig.4) with using six the well-known and the proposed
methods of transformation of the image histogram, namely:
1) linear stretch, α = 0.01 (0.01-0.99) [2];
2) gamma-correction, γ = 0.75 [4];
3) histogram equalization (HE) [4];
4) brightness preserving bi-histogram equalization
(BBHE) [10];
5) proposed method using weighted contrast kernel (8);
6) proposed method using linear contrast kernel (9).
The results of processing the four initial images (Fig.1,
Fig.2, Fig.3 and Fig.4) with using earlier considered methods
are shown in Fig.5, Fig.6, Fig.7 and Fig.8.

B. The methodic of the no-reference contrast measurement

Image contrast measurement is carried out with using the
known no-reference contrast metrics.
For quantitative assessment of contrast of processed image
by its histogram the following parameters are used:
1) averaged contrast of Haralick (10) [11];
2) generalized weighted contrast (11) [12];
3) averaged weighted contrast (13) [12];
4) generalized absolute contrast (14) [12];
5) averaged linear contrast (15) [5].

Fig. 3. The third initial image (angiography of cerebral blood vessels) and its
normalized histogram.

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a b a b

c d c d

e f e f
Fig. 5. Test images of the first group: (a) - linear stretch, α = 0.01, (b) - Fig. 7. Test images of the third group: (a) - linear stretch, α = 0.01, (b) -
gamma-correction, γ = 0.75, (c) - HE, (d) – BBHE, (e) - proposed method gamma-correction, γ = 0.75, (c) - HE, (d) – BBHE, (e) - proposed method
using (8), (f) - proposed method using (9). using (8), (f) - proposed method using (9).

a b a b

c d c d

e f e f
Fig. 6. Test images of the second group: (a) - linear stretch, α = 0.01, (b) - Fig. 8. Test images of the fourth group: (a) - linear stretch, α = 0.01, (b) -
gamma-correction, γ = 0.75, (c) - HE, (d) – BBHE, (e) - proposed method gamma-correction, γ = 0.75, (c) - HE, (d) – BBHE, (e) - proposed method
using (8), (f) - proposed method using (9). using (8), (f) - proposed method using (9).

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The above-mentioned known metrics [5, 7, 8] for contrast The contrast measurements (10)-(15) to providing the
measurement of test images are defined as quantitative assessment of generalized contrast for four
group’s images were held.
1 1 Graphs of the values of generalized contrast for the four
1
= ⋅   (x i − x j ) ⋅ p( x i ) ⋅ p (x j ) dx i dx j , (10) groups of test images (Fig.5, Fig.6, Fig.7 and Fig.8) are shown
tex 2
C
2 00 in Fig.9, Fig.10, Fig.11 and Fig.12.

1
wei
C gen =  (x i2 − x mean
2
) / (xi2 + xmeam
2
) ⋅ p(xi ) dxi , (11)
0

1
xmean =  xi ⋅ p (xi ) dxi , (12)
0

1 1
xi − x j
C wei
=  ⋅ p (xi ) ⋅ p (x j ) dxi dx j , (13)
0 0
xi + x j
1
( xi − xmean ) 1 ( xi − xmean ) 1
C abs
gen = + − − ⋅ p( xi )dxi , (14)
0
xmax 2 xmax 2
1 1
xi − x j
C lin =   ⋅ p (xi ) ⋅ p (x j ) dxi dx j . (15)
0 0
x max − x min

C. The measurements results

The results of measurements for four groups of images
using contrast metrics (10)-(15) are shown in Table I.
Fig. 9. Graphs of the contrast values for the images 1 and 5.a-5.f of the first
TABLE I. THE VALUES OF GENERALIZED CONTRAST group (Fig.1 and Fig.5)
wei abs
C tex C gen C wei C gen C lin
1 0.099 0.460 0.443 0.389 0.278
5.a 0.153 0.591 0.239 0.479 0.328
5.b 0.087 0.365 0.388 0.368 0.257
5.c 0.168 0.465 0.418 0.502 0.327
5.d 0.163 0.513 0.337 0.487 0.339
5.e 0.112 0.448 0.308 0.405 0.298
5.f 0.116 0.416 0.308 0.417 0.297
2 0.007 0.070 0.047 0.096 0.136
6.a 0.088 0.291 0.227 0.348 0.285
6.b 0.008 0.070 0.047 0.101 0.116
6.c 0.167 0.465 0.388 0.501 0.366
6.d 0.163 0.354 0.292 0.480 0.373
6.e 0.062 0.251 0.183 0.295 0.272
6.f 0.060 0.238 0.173 0.290 0.268
3 0.101 0.380 0.368 0.363 0.227
7.a 0.206 0.380 0.368 0.519 0.308
7.b 0.125 0.359 0.345 0.396 0.229
7.c 0.150 0.447 0.325 0.480 0.365
7.d 0.126 0.360 0.261 0.434 0.356
7.e 0.136 0.375 0.326 0.427 0.300
7.f 0.138 0.344 0.289 0.425 0.296
4 0.094 0.358 0.367 0.324 0.259
8.a 0.100 0.358 0.366 0.335 0.260
8.b 0.105 0.316 0.332 0.337 0.241
8.c 0.155 0.454 0.341 0.487 0.364
8.d 0.159 0.480 0.357 0.495 0.369
8.e 0.100 0.400 0.347 0.361 0.290 Fig. 10. Graphs of the contrast values for the images 2 and 6.a-6.f of the
8.f 0.105 0.357 0.301 0.371 0.290 second group (Fig.2 and Fig.6)

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 2017 IEEE 37th International Conference on Electronics and Nanotechnology (ELNANO)
Fig. 11. Graphs of the contrast values for the images 3 and 7.a-7.f of the third
group (Fig.3 and Fig.7)
Fig. 12. Graphs of the contrast values for the images 4 and 8.a-8.f of the
fourth group (Fig.4 and Fig.8)
IV. ANALYSIS OF THE MEASUREMENTS
The results of the measurements show that the considered
methods of image processing on the basis of technology of the
histogram equalization (HE, BBHE and DSIHE methods)
ensure the maximum increase of generalized contrast of current
image. At this the maximum values of the assessments of
generalized contrast for all the considered contrast metrics are
achieved for methods of HE, BBHE and DSIHE (Fig.9-Fig.12).
However, the methods on the basis of technology of the
histogram equalization (HE, BBHE and DSIHE methods) in
some cases can lead to a significant decrease of contrast or to
the disappearance of small-size objects on the current image
[4] (Fig.6.c, Fig.6.d, Fig.8.c and Fig.8.d). Consequence of this
may be the possible reduction of informativeness and of
objective quality for some types of images that is unacceptable
to image processing in automatic mode [3].
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Methods of linear stretching are ineffective for contrast
enhancement of previously normalized images [Fig.6.a].
The effectiveness of contrast enhancement using methods
of gamma-correction essentially depends on the parameters of
brightness distribution of image and to a large extent
determined by the choice of values of the parameter γ (Fig.6.b,
Fig.7.b, Fig.8.b), which implies, in practice, the choice of the
values of γ in interactive mode.
The proposed algorithm provides the increase of efficiency
of contrast enhancement of complex low-contrast images (by
an average of 11%-24%) for all reference images without
reducing the contrast of small-size objects in image.
V. CONCLUSION
In this paper, the problem of contrast enhancement in
automatic mode for medical images with small-size low-
contrast objects was considered.
The histogram-based method for automatic contrast
enhancement of low-contrast images with small-size objects
on the basis of the analyzing of contrast distribution at
boundaries of objects and background was proposed.
Research of the effectiveness of the proposed and known
methods of contrast enhancement were carried out by
measuring the contrast using known no-reference metrics of
image contrast for the four groups of test images.
The results of research confirmed the effectiveness of the
proposed algorithm for contrast enhancement in automatic
mode for low-contrast medical images with complex structure.
The proposed algorithm can be recommended for real-time pre-
processing of low-contrast medical images in automatic mode.
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