# Contrast enhancement method for CT

**URL:** <https://discourse.itk.org/t/contrast-enhancement-method-for-ct/3132>\
**Category:** Algorithms\
**Created:** [May 30, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://discourse.itk.org/t/contrast-enhancement-method-for-ct/3132 "2020-05-30T13:45:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![EE18D504\_SINDHURA\_C](https://discourse.itk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@EE18D504\_SINDHURA\_C](https://discourse.itk.org/u/EE18D504_SINDHURA_C)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://discourse.itk.org/t/contrast-enhancement-method-for-ct/3132/1 "2020-05-30T13:45:29Z")

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I want to know what would be the best method to enhance the contrast of the CT images. What are the best filters available in ITK? Is there any filter that uses a simple contrast stretching method?

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**Author:** ![Andinet\_Enquobahrie](https://discourse.itk.org/user_avatar/discourse.itk.org/andinet_enquobahrie/32/29_2.png) [@Andinet\_Enquobahrie](https://discourse.itk.org/u/Andinet_Enquobahrie)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://discourse.itk.org/t/contrast-enhancement-method-for-ct/3132/2 "2020-05-30T14:05:20Z")

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Hi @EE18D504_SINDHURA_C

There are several image filtering algorithms in

> **[InsightSoftwareConsortium/ITK](https://github.com/InsightSoftwareConsortium/ITK/tree/master/Modules/Filtering)**
>
> Insight Toolkit (ITK) -- Official Repository. Contribute to InsightSoftwareConsortium/ITK development by creating an account on GitHub.

In particular, you might want to try the histogram equalization filter to enhance your CT images.

> <https://github.com/InsightSoftwareConsortium/ITK/blob/master/Modules/Filtering/ImageStatistics/include/itkAdaptiveEqualizationHistogram.h>

Here is an example that demonstrates how to use the adaptive histogram equalization filter

[https://itk.org/ITKExamples/src/Filtering/ImageStatistics/AdaptiveHistogramEqualizationImageFilter/Documentation.html](https://itk.org/ITKExamples/src/Filtering/ImageStatistics/AdaptiveHistogramEqualizationImageFilter/Documentation.html)

Hope this helps,  
Andinet

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**Author:** ![EE18D504\_SINDHURA\_C](https://discourse.itk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@EE18D504\_SINDHURA\_C](https://discourse.itk.org/u/EE18D504_SINDHURA_C)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2020, 6:11pm UTC](https://discourse.itk.org/t/contrast-enhancement-method-for-ct/3132/3 "2020-05-30T18:11:07Z")

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When I use Histogram Equalization, the image i get is something like this

 ![image](https://discourse.itk.org/uploads/default/original/2X/f/fe324e8eea435bf2ddb73510dcc3802fa514da6f.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![lassoan](https://discourse.itk.org/user_avatar/discourse.itk.org/lassoan/32/27_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.itk.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2020, 1:37am UTC](https://discourse.itk.org/t/contrast-enhancement-method-for-ct/3132/4 "2020-06-01T01:37:29Z")

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> [@EE18D504\_SINDHURA\_C](#):
>
> I want to know what would be the best method to enhance the contrast of the CT images

When a CT image is acquired its contrast is already optimized. You might enhance some features (at the expense of suppressing others), but you can only do this for a specific clinical goal. What is your clinical application? What features you would like to enhance?