A novel planar tracking technology for physiological image analysis

Automated image tracking provides new insights in many physiological studies, but present methods are ad hoc and can be difficult to use. They are generally based on following the movement of one or more specific regions of interested - point tracking. We tested newly available novel planar tracking technology commercially developed for the special effects industry, which does not use point tracking. We validated the tracker and made two dynamic physiological measurements. Our validation measurements describe the accuracy and repeatability of the technique, and our physiological measurements demonstrate the flexibility of the software. Our results suggest that planar tracking may be of particular use with techniques that produce low quality images such as ultrasonography.

► We validated a new type of tracking technology – planar tracking.
► We found the tracker was highly accurate and well suited to tracking a variety of moving biological images.
► Planar tracking should allow new insights from physiological imaging techniques.