Image processing method for microscopic image, computer readable medium, image processing apparatus, image processing system, and microscope system

1. An image processing method comprising:

generating two images by performing two image enhancement processes for a microscopic image; and

generating a corrected image obtained by compositing the two images, wherein

the generating the two images includes

generating a high-frequency enhanced image in which high-frequency components of the microscopic image are enhanced relative to low-frequency components of the microscopic image that have a lower frequency than the high-frequency components, and

generating a microstructure enhanced image in which a microstructure in an observation sample included in the microscopic image is enhanced.

2. The image processing method of claim 1 , wherein

the generating the high-frequency enhanced image includes

determining a plurality of different filters having an anisotropy,

generating a plurality of filter images by applying the plurality of filters to the microscopic image, and

generating the high-frequency enhanced image by performing a projection process based at least on the plurality of filter images.

3. The image processing method of claim 2 , wherein

the plurality of filters are determined on the basis of a characteristic of a microscope apparatus that generates the microscopic image.

4. The image processing method of claim 2 , wherein

the microscopic image is a phase-contrast image obtained by a phase-contrast microscope.

5. The image processing method of claim 2 , further comprising:

calculating a rate of reduction of an artifact included in the corrected image on the basis of the microscopic image and the corrected image;

determining, on the basis of the rate of reduction, whether the artifact has been reduced; and

regenerating the corrected image by changing at least one of parameters used in the process of generating the two images, when it is determined that the artifact has not been reduced.

6. The image processing method of claim 1 , wherein

the generating the high-frequency enhanced image includes

determining a plurality of different filters having an anisotropy,

generating a plurality of filter images by applying the plurality of filters to the microscopic image, and

generating a first high-frequency enhanced image by performing a first projection process based at least on the plurality of filter images, and

generating a second high-frequency enhanced image by performing a second projection process based at least on the plurality of filter images, wherein

the second projection process is different from the first projection process, and

the high-frequency enhanced image includes the first and second high-frequency enhanced images.

7. The image processing method of claim 6 , wherein

the plurality of filters are determined on the basis of a characteristic of a microscope apparatus that generates the microscopic image.

8. The image processing method of claim 6 , wherein

the microscopic image is a phase-contrast image obtained by a phase-contrast microscope.

9. The image processing method of claim 6 , further comprising:

calculating a rate of reduction of an artifact included in the corrected image on the basis of the microscopic image and the corrected image;

determining, on the basis of the rate of reduction, whether the artifact has been reduced; and

regenerating the corrected image by changing at least one of parameters used in the process of generating the two images, when it is determined that the artifact has not been reduced.

10. The image processing method of claim 1 , wherein

the microscopic image is a phase-contrast image obtained by a phase-contrast microscope.

11. The image processing method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating a rate of reduction of an artifact included in the corrected image on the basis of the microscopic image and the corrected image;

determining, on the basis of the rate of reduction, whether the artifact has been reduced; and

regenerating the corrected image by changing at least one of parameters used in the process of generating the two images, when it is determined that the artifact has not been reduced.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer to perform:

a process of generating two images by performing two image enhancement processes for a microscopic image, the process of generating including

generating a high-frequency enhanced image in which high-frequency components of the microscopic image are enhanced relative to low-frequency components of the microscopic image that have a lower frequency than the high-frequency components, and

generating a microstructure enhanced image in which a microstructure in an observation sample included in the microscopic image is enhanced; and

a process of generating a corrected image obtained by compositing the two images.

13. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image enhancement unit that generates two images by performing two image enhancement processes for a microscopic image; and

a corrected-image generation unit that generates a corrected image obtained by compositing the two images, wherein

the image enhancement unit

generates a high-frequency enhanced image in which high-frequency components of the microscopic image are enhanced relative to low-frequency components of the microscopic image that have a lower frequency than the high-frequency components, and

generates a microstructure enhanced image in which a microstructure in an observation sample included in the microscopic image is enhanced.

14. An image processing system comprising:

the image processing apparatus of claim 13 ; and

a display apparatus that displays the corrected image.

15. The image processing system of claim 14 , wherein

the image processing apparatus causes the display apparatus to display the corrected image and the microscopic image such that the corrected image and the microscopic image are overlaid on each other or positioned next to each other.

16. A microscope system comprising:

the image processing apparatus of claim 13 ; and

a microscope apparatus that obtains the microscopic image.

17. The microscope system of claim 16 , wherein

the microscope apparatus includes a phase-contrast microscope that obtains a phase-contrast image as the microscopic image.

18. The microscope system of claim 17 , wherein

the microscope apparatus includes a florescence microscope that obtains a fluorescence image.

19. The microscope system of claim 18 , further comprising:

a display apparatus, wherein

the image processing apparatus causes the display apparatus to display the fluorescence image and the corrected image such that the fluorescence image and the corrected image are overlaid on each other or positioned next to each other.

20. A microscope system comprising:

a microscope apparatus that obtains a microscopic image;

an image processing apparatus that generates a corrected image from the microscopic image obtained by the microscope apparatus;

a display apparatus that displays the corrected image generated by the image processing apparatus; and

an input apparatus that inputs information corresponding to a user operation to the image processing apparatus, wherein

when the input apparatus has input information commanding to reduce an artifact that has arisen in the microscopic image,

the image processing apparatus generates a high-frequency enhanced image in which high-frequency components of the microscopic image are enhanced relative to low-frequency components of the microscopic image that have a lower frequency than the high-frequency components and a microstructure enhanced image in which a microstructure in an observation sample included in the microscopic image is enhanced and generates the corrected image obtained by compositing the high-frequency enhanced image and the microstructure enhanced image.