DIPlib Documentation - ©1995-2013 Quantitative Imaging Group, Delft University of Technology.

# EuclideanSkeleton

binary skeleton operation

## SYNOPSIS

`#include "dip_binary.h"`

dip_Error dip_EuclideanSkeleton ( in, out, endpixelCondition, edgeCondition )

## DATA TYPES

binary

## FUNCTION

This function calculates an accurate (euclidean)skeleton. It tests Hilditch conditions to preserve topology. The algorithms uses the following distance metrics:

2D

5 | 4-connected neighbor
7 | 8-connected neighbor
11 | neighbors reachable with a knight's move

3D

4 | 6-connected neighbors
6 | 18-connected neighbors
7 | 26-connected neighbors
9 | neighbors reachable with knight's move
10 | (2,1,1) neighbors
12 | (2,2,1) neighbors

The `edge` parameter specifies whether the border of the image should be treated as object (`DIP_TRUE`) or as background (`DIP_FALSE`). See section 9.6, "Morphology-based operations", in Fundamentals of Image Processing for a description of the skeleton operation.

## ARGUMENTS

Data type | Name | Description
`dip_Image` | `in` | Binary input image
`dip_Image` | `out` | Output image
`dip_EndpixelCondition` | `endpixelCondition` | Endpixel condition
`dip_Boolean` | `edgeCondition` | Edge condition

The `dip_EndpixelCondition` enumeration consists of the following flags:

Name | Description
`DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_LOOSE_ENDS_AWAY` | Loose ends are eaten away
`DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_NATURAL` | "natural" endpixel condition of this algorithm
`DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_KEEP_WITH_ONE_NEIGHBOR` | Keep endpoint if it has a neighbor
`DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_KEEP_WITH_TWO_NEIGHBORS` | Keep endpoint if it has two neighbors
`DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_KEEP_WITH_THREE_NEIGHBORS` | Keep endpoint if it has three neighbors

## KNOWN BUGS

`EuclideanSkeleton` is only implemented for 2 and 3 D images.

`EuclideanSkeleton` does not process pixels in a 2-pixel border around the edge. If this is an issue, consider adding 2 pixels on each side of your image.

The function is buggy for 3D images. `DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_LOOSE_ENDS_AWAY` and `DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_KEEP_WITH_ONE_NEIGHBOR` produce the same result as `DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_KEEP_WITH_THREE_NEIGHBORS`. Both `DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_NATURAL` and `DIP_ENDPIXEL_CONDITION_KEEP_WITH_TWO_NEIGHBORS` produce resonable results under most circumstances, but don't count on it!

## LITERATURE

"Improved metrics in image processing applied to the Hilditch skeleton", B.J.H. Verwer, 9th ICPR, Rome, November 14-17, 1988.

## AUTHOR

Ben Verwer, adapted to DIPlib by Geert van Kempen.

## SEE ALSO

`BinaryPropagation`