Analyzing deformity of human backs based on 3-D topographic reconstruction from moire images

A technique is presented for evaluating spinal deformity of a human back by extracting a spinal line based on 3-D topograpic reconstruction of the back from its moire image. A given moire image is differentiatedby DOG filter to extract moire stripes. The stripes are then assigned labels and the labels are interpolated by the Lagrange polynomial to yield the undulation of the back which gives a relative 3-D shape of the back. A valley is searched on the undulation near the middle part of the back and the valley line is finally extracted as an approximated spinal line. The mean differenceand the variance between the spinal line and the middle line are calculated and reported. Experiment is performed employing real moire images ofjunior-high school students' backs and some of the results are shown with discussion.