The authors have developed a software algorithm for the implementation of selective 2-D medical image compression based on the JPEG standard. The compression gain over the conventional JPEG approach lies in the automatic selection of the useful image area and the emphasis given to regions of high diagnostic value. The latter can be interactively selected and losslessly compressed, while the background is rejected. The algorithm can be easily adapted to accommodate other compression techniques and can find use in telemedicine applications.
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