Vessel motion measurement in real-time using movement detection at multiple regions of interest

A vessel motion detection algorithm has been implemented for the measurement of multiple lymphatic chamber diameters via pre-recorded VHS tape (PAL, 25 Hz). The method differs significantly from previous attempts based on edge-detection, in that it employs center of mass of pixel brightness in the vessel wall based on a Kalman filtered image subtracted from a Kalman filtered background. The operation of the algorithm confirms that it is able to detect accurately the full constriction–relaxation cycle of the vessel and produce data that meets high standards of tolerance. The procedure is well suited for real-time measurement of lymphatic and blood vessel constrictions in vitro or in vivo at multiple sites so long as the object under measurement is sufficiently differentiated from its background.