	US 12,277,705 B2
	Image processing method and recording medium
Ryo Hasebe, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Filed by SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Filed on Aug. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/884,161.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-142423 (JP), filed on Sep. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0063443 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. G06K 9/00 (2022.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01); G06T 7/11 (2017.01)

CPC G06T 7/0012 (2013.01) [G06T 7/11 (2017.01); G06T 2200/04 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10101 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20152 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30044 (2013.01)]

5 Claims

1. An image processing method, comprising:

obtaining three-dimensional image data representing a three-dimensional image of a fertilized egg in a cleavage stage obtained by imaging the fertilized egg by optical coherence tomography, the three-dimensional image data being expressed as voxel data;

extracting a blastomere region corresponding to an individual blastomere in the three-dimensional image for each blastomere by image processing for individually dividing the blastomere regions integrated in close contact with each other in the fertilized egg based on the three-dimensional image data;

counting a number of the blastomere region extracted in the three-dimensional image;

obtaining a volume of each blastomere region based on the three-dimensional image data; and

determining a number X of the extracted blastomere regions is expressed by a following inequality:

2^N<X<2^N+1(N is a natural number)

and when the inequality holds, dividing each of (2^N+1-X) blastomere regions having a largest volume out of the X blastomere regions equally into two blastomere regions.