Rolling Ball Background Subtraction

Authors: Michael Castle and Janice Keller
Mental Health Research Institute
University of Michigan
History: 2007/11/22: First version
Source: Rolling_Ball_Background.java
Installation: Download Rolling_Ball_Background.java to the plugins folder, or subfolder, compile and run it using Plugins/Compile and Run, then restart ImageJ.
Description: This is the plugin that implemented ImageJ's Subtract Background command in versions up to 1.39e, but with "Preview" added and support for multiprocessor machines when processing stacks. This plugin does not support Float (32-bit) images. ImageJ uses a different algorithm since 1.39f (slighly modified in 1.39k).

This algorithm produces better results than the new ImageJ code for some 16-bit images, but it has the disadvantage of producing artifacts for many images if the ball radius is >=10.

Based on the NIH Image Pascal version by Michael Castle and Janice Keller of the University of Michigan Mental Health Research Institute. Rolling ball algorithm inspired by Stanley Sternberg's article, "Biomedical Image Processing", IEEE Computer, January 1983.

To display the background subtracted in a separate (new) window, hold the ALT key when pressing "OK" (Preview must be off).

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