Patent ID: 7327867

Claim:
A method for detecting a nucleus area comprising the steps of: (a) selecting one or more nuclei from a plurality of nucleus area candidates as initial information, said nucleus area candidates being extracted from a plurality of 4D microscopic images of a cell; (b) obtaining linkage information by sequentially extracting a nucleus area candidate that meets a predetermined link condition with regard to said initial information from said 4D images; and (c) removing non-nucleus area candidates from said obtained linkage information, said removing comprising the steps of: (d) selecting one or more nuclei from a plurality of nucleus area candidates other than said first initial information as second initial information, said nucleus area candidates being extracted from a plurality of 4D microscopic images; (e) obtaining reverse linkage information by sequentially extracting a nucleus area candidate that meets a predetermined link condition with regard to said second initial information from said 4D images, said reverse link executing in a direction opposite to a direction of said link based on said first initial information; and (f) removing a nucleus area candidate that is not included in said reverse linkage information from said obtained linkage information on said first initial information.