In the framework of Stokes parameters imaging, polarization-encoded images have four channels which makes physical interpretation of such multidimensional structures hard to grasp at once. Furthermore, the information content is intricately combined in the parameters channels which involve the need for a proper tool that allows the analysis and understanding this kind of images. In this paper we address the problem of analyzing polarization-encoded images and explore the potential of this information for classification issues and propose ad hoc color displays as an aid to the interpretation of physical properties content. The color representation schemes introduced hereafter employ a technique that uses novel Poincaré Sphere to color spaces mapping coupled with a segmentation map as an a priori information in order to allow, at best, a distribution of the information in the appropriate color space. The segmentation process relies on the fuzzy C-means clustering algorithms family where the used distances were redefined in relation with our images specificities. Local histogram equalization is applied to each class in order to bring out the intra-class’s information smooth variations. The proposed methods are applied and validated with Stokes images of biological tissues.

© 2006 Optical Society of America

1. C. Collet, J. Zallat, and Y. Takakura, "Clustering of Mueller matrix images for skeletonized structure detection," Opt. Express 12,1271-1280 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. S. L. Jiao and L. H. V. Wang, "Jones-matrix imaging of biological tissues with quadruple-channel optical coherence tomography," J. Biomed. Opt. 7,350-358 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. S. L. Jacques, J. R. Roman, and K. Lee, "Imaging superficial tissues with polarized light," Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 26, 119-129 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. J. Zallat, C. Collet, and Y. Takakura, "Clustering of polarization-encoded images," Appl. Opt. 43,1-10 (2004). [CrossRef]
5. J. M. Bueno and M. C. W. Campbell, "Polarization properties of the in vitro old human crystalline lens," Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 23,109-118 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. S. G. Demos and R. R. Alfano, "Optical polarization imaging," Appl. Opt. 36,150-155 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. L. B. Wolff, "Polarization camera for computer vision with a beam splitter," J. Opt. Soc. Am. 11,2935-2945 (1994). [CrossRef]
8. M. P. Rowe, E. N. Pugh Jr., J. S. Tyo, and N. Engheta, "Polarization-difference imaging: a biologically inspired technique for observation through scattering media," Opt. Lett. 20,608-610 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. J. S. Tyo, E. N. P. Jr., and N. Engheta, "Colorimetric representations for use with polarization-difference imaging of objects in scattering media," J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 15, 367-374 (1998). [CrossRef]
10. R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Digital Image Processing (Prentice-Hall, Inc, New Jersey, 2002).
11. B. Laude-Boulesteix, A. D. Martino, B. Drévillon, and L. Schwartz, "Mueller polarimetric imaging system with liquid crystals," Appl. Opt. 43,2824-2832 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. 12. C. Zang and P. Wang, "A new method of color image segmentation based on intensity and hue clustering," presented at the ICPR'00, Barcelona, Spain, 2000.

Appl. Opt.

• J. Zallat, C. Collet, and Y. Takakura, "Clustering of polarization-encoded images," Appl. Opt. 43,1-10 (2004). [CrossRef]
• S. G. Demos and R. R. Alfano, "Optical polarization imaging," Appl. Opt. 36,150-155 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• B. Laude-Boulesteix, A. D. Martino, B. Drévillon, and L. Schwartz, "Mueller polarimetric imaging system with liquid crystals," Appl. Opt. 43,2824-2832 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Biomed. Opt.

• S. L. Jiao and L. H. V. Wang, "Jones-matrix imaging of biological tissues with quadruple-channel optical coherence tomography," J. Biomed. Opt. 7,350-358 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Opt. Soc. Am.

• L. B. Wolff, "Polarization camera for computer vision with a beam splitter," J. Opt. Soc. Am. 11,2935-2945 (1994). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. A

• J. S. Tyo, E. N. P. Jr., and N. Engheta, "Colorimetric representations for use with polarization-difference imaging of objects in scattering media," J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 15, 367-374 (1998). [CrossRef]

Lasers in Surgery and Medicine

• S. L. Jacques, J. R. Roman, and K. Lee, "Imaging superficial tissues with polarized light," Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 26, 119-129 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics

• J. M. Bueno and M. C. W. Campbell, "Polarization properties of the in vitro old human crystalline lens," Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 23,109-118 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Express

• C. Collet, J. Zallat, and Y. Takakura, "Clustering of Mueller matrix images for skeletonized structure detection," Opt. Express 12,1271-1280 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• M. P. Rowe, E. N. Pugh Jr., J. S. Tyo, and N. Engheta, "Polarization-difference imaging: a biologically inspired technique for observation through scattering media," Opt. Lett. 20,608-610 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• R. C. Gonzalez and R. E. Woods, Digital Image Processing (Prentice-Hall, Inc, New Jersey, 2002).
• 12. C. Zang and P. Wang, "A new method of color image segmentation based on intensity and hue clustering," presented at the ICPR'00, Barcelona, Spain, 2000.

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