Image processing and analysis of microscopy images of red blood cells.

• Main Author: Soh, Wei Ting.
• Other Authors: Bjoern Holger Neu
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Medicine::Optical instruments; DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/49924
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The flickering phenomenon of red blood cell (RBC) was discovered back in the 18th century. Flicker is defined as the spontaneous rhythmical and random alterations through a healthy RBC’s volume on a scale of 1-100 nanometers. This phenomenon is related to RBC’s deformability and its membrane mechanics. Therefore, it is important to understand this phenomenon in order to study the pathological conditions of RBC. Hence, in this project, a digitized phase contrast microscopy video of a single red blood cell was analyzed using image processing techniques to study the flickering motion by segmenting the RBC and derive the subpixel edge position. Image processing techniques were developed using ImageJ, ITK SNAP and MATLAB. The subpixel edge position at multiple points, each 1° apart on the periphery of the RBC was calculated using the pixel positions orthogonal to the edge. From the results of subpixel edge position, the flickering phenomenon discovered a few centuries ago was verified and several parameters were calculated. The frequency range of flickering is from 0.1Hz to 7.2Hz and the amplitude of fluctuation of the RBC membrane is from 22nm to 176nm.