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  • © 2017

Tongue Image Analysis

  • The first book to systematically introduce tongue image analysis and processing
  • Introduces useful concepts and state-of-the-art techniques associated with computerized tongue diagnosis (CTD) such as tongue image processing, feature extraction, and classification
  • Equips readers to actually address thorny problems such as automatic segmentation, color distortion, and robust classification of tongue images which are very helpful to the practicing CTD scientist
  • Presents useful modeling techniques and results well supported by experiments using the world's largest tongue database
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (18 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
  2. Background

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Introduction to Tongue Image Analysis

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 3-18
    3. Tongue Images Acquisition System Design

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 19-44
  3. Tongue Image Segmentation and Shape Classification

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 45-45
    2. Tongue Image Segmentation by Bi-elliptical Deformable Contour

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 47-70
    3. A Snake-Based Approach to Automated Tongue Image Segmentation

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 71-88
    4. Tongue Segmentation in Hyperspectral Images

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 89-102
    5. Tongue Segmentation by Gradient Vector Flow and Region Merging

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 103-113
    6. Tongue Segmentation by Fusing Region-Based and Edge-Based Approaches

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 115-131
    7. Tongue Shape Classification by Geometric Features

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 133-153
  4. Tongue Color Correction and Classification

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 155-155
    2. Color Correction Scheme for Tongue Images

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 157-178
    3. Tongue Colorchecker for Precise Correction

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 179-205
    4. Tongue Color Analysis for Medical Application

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 207-223
    5. Statistical Analysis of Tongue Color and Its Applications in Diagnosis

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 225-250
    6. Hyperspectral Tongue Image Classification

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 251-261
  5. Tongue Image Analysis and Diagnosis

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 263-263
    2. Computerized Tongue Diagnosis Based on Bayesian Networks

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 265-280
    3. Tongue Image Analysis for Appendicitis Diagnosis

      • David Zhang, Hongzhi Zhang, Bob Zhang
      Pages 281-293

About this book

This is the first book offering a systematic description of tongue image analysis and processing technologies and their typical applications in computerized tongue diagnostic (CTD) systems. It features the most current research findings in all aspects of tongue image acquisition, preprocessing, classification, and diagnostic support methodologies, from theoretical and algorithmic problems to prototype design and development of CTD systems. 
The book begins with a very in-depth description of CTD on a need-to-know basis which includes an overview of CTD systems and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in order to provide the information on the context and background of tongue image analysis. The core part then introduces algorithms as well as their implementation methods, at a know-how level, including image segmentation methods, chromatic correction, and classification of tongue images. Some clinical applications based on these methods are presented for the show-how purpose in the CTD research field. Case studies highlight different techniques that have been adopted to assist the visual inspection of appendicitis, diabetes, and other common diseases. Experimental results under different challenging clinical circumstances have demonstrated the superior performance of these techniques. 
In this book, the principles of tongue image analysis are illustrated with plentiful graphs, tables, and practical experiments to provide insights into some of the problems. In this way, readers can easily find a quick and systematic way through the complicated theories and they can later even extend their studies to special topics of interest. This book will be of benefit to researchers, professionals, and graduate students working in the field of computer vision, pattern recognition, clinical practice, and TCM, as well as those involved in interdisciplinary research.

Authors and Affiliations

  • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

    David Zhang

  • School of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China

    Hongzhi Zhang

  • Department of Computer and Information Science, The University of Macau, Taipa, Macao

    Bob Zhang

About the authors

David Zhang graduated in Computer Science from Peking University. He received his MSc in 1982 and his PhD in 1985 in Computer Science from the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT). From 1986 to 1988 he was a postdoctoral fellow at Tsinghua University and then an associate professor at the Academia Sinica, Beijing. In 1994 he received his second PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Currently, he is a Chair Professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where he is the Founding Director of Biometrics Research Centre (UGC/CRC), which has been supported by the Hong Kong SAR Government since 1998. He also serves as Visiting Chair Professor at Tsinghua University and HIT, and Adjunct Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Peking University, the National University of Defense Technology and the University of Waterloo. So far, he has been published more than 10 books and 400 international journal papers. He was listedas a highly cited researcher in Engineering by Thomson Reuters in 2014 and in 2015, respectively. Professor Zhang is a Croucher senior research fellow, distinguished speaker of the IEEE computer society, and a Fellow of both the IEEE and the IAPR.


Hongzhi Zhang received his Ph.D. degree in computer science and technology from Harbin institute of Technology (HIT), China, in 2007. He is an associate Professor at the School of Computer Science and Technology, HIT, where he has taught for over 15 years. He teaches biomedical image processing and has investigated computerized tongue diagnosis at the Research Center of Perception and Computing. He is a member of  the IEEE, the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAAI), and the  China Society of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. His research interests include theoretic approaches to problems in biomedical imaging, biometric image analysis, computer vision, and signal processing. His research has been supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He is the author of more than 70 international journal and conference papers.  


Bob Zhang received his Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada, in 2011. After graduating from Waterloo, he remained with the Center for Pattern Recognition and Machine Intelligence, and was later a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau. His research interests focus on medical biometrics, biometrics security, pattern recognition, and image processing. Dr. Zhang is a Technical Committee Member of the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society, an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Image and Graphics, as well as an editorial board member for the International Journal of INFORMATION.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access