A new software application developed at the University of Missouri-Columbia can rapidly analyze and detect changes in images from any modality, as well as video and images from scientific equipment.
Called TREND, or Track Equilibrium or Nonequilibrium Shifts in Data, the application works by studying sets of images to resolve and track changes. For example, a movie of a beating heart can be analyzed almost instantly to determine any irregularities or potential health problems. Other applications include a variety of biological, chemical, or geographical changes, the investigators said in a statement. TREND can also reconstruct videos to focus only on individual processes and changes of interest, such as just the heartbeat without changes affected by breathing.
TREND enables rapid analysis of very complex and nuanced images, which can potentially save doctors, patients, and scientists significant time and money, said co-developer and University of Missouri biochemistry professor Steve Van Doren, PhD. The school has used the software, developed by Van Doren and Jia Xu, to advance its research into enzyme interactions, analyzing in a few minutes what once would have taken several weeks. The analysis with TREND is also more accurate.
