Notes:
The first step is the acquisition of images, done with the help of microscopes, ccd cameras, etc.
The next step is deconvolution to get remedy the distortions created by the imaging process.
The aim is either analysis, that means extracting data from the image that is not explicitly available, or presentation for example for a publication.
Processing creates an enhanced image from the input image, for example by applying filters. It may be enhanced in respect to the following analysis steps or in respect to presentation.
One of the most important steps is the segmentation. Segmentation divides the objects in the image from the background, and eventually the object from each other.
After segmentation features of the objects can be extracted. Either because they are of interest themselves or as the input for a classification step.
Classification divides the objects in the image into categories, for example normal and apoptotic cells
To do successful classification a normalization might be necessary, for example to make the features independent of the objects size, position or rotation.
You might want to annotate images, for example with the time passed in a time series or to point to regions or events in the image.
The result will be either a report of the extacted data or the processed image for presentation.