Automatic Detection of B-Lines in Vivo Lung Ultrasound by Using Bottom Hat Transform

Lung ultrasound imaging is widely used for the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases because it is safe, portable, and does not expose patients to radiation. In lung ultrasound images, B lines appear as vertical artifacts that originate from the pleural line and extend to the bottom of the image. The presence and number of B lines provide important clinical information about lung conditions such as pulmonary edema and interstitial syndrome. Manual identification of these artifacts requires expert knowledge and may lead to inconsistent interpretations. This paper presents an automated approach for detecting B lines in lung ultrasound images using image processing techniques. The proposed method includes image preprocessing, pleural line detection, morphological filtering, and bottom hat transformation to enhance vertical artifacts. The detected B lines are then analyzed to assist in identifying abnormal lung conditions. The proposed system improves detection reliability and can support medical professionals in faster and more accurate diagnosis.