A flexible Implementation of Maximum-Homogeneity Filtering for 2-D and 3-D Images

Nonlinear edge-preserving filtering techniques have long; been popular in image processing. One of these techniques, the maximum-homogeneity filter, has shown promise for reducing random noise, sharpening blurred regional borders, and removing unwanted thin artifacts. Unfortunately, previous authors have only defined the maximum-homogeneity filter for fixed circumstances. We define, for both three-dimensional and two-dimensional images, a more flexible implementation of the maximum-homogeneity filter. The implemen tation, based on a mathematically defined “spotlight” operator, per mits varying levels of region sharpening and artifact removal.