Medical Image Encryption using Biometric Image Texture Fusion

J Med Syst. 2023 Nov 4;47(1):112. doi: 10.1007/s10916-023-02003-5.

Abstract

In conjunction with pandemics, medical image data are growing exponentially. In some countries, hospitals collect biometric data from patients, such as fingerprints, iris, or faces. This data can be used for things like identity verification and security management. However, this medical data can be easily compromised by hackers. In order to prevent illegal tampering with medical images and invasion of privacy, a new texture fusion medical image encryption (TFMIE) algorithm derived from biometric images is proposed, which can encrypt the image using biometric information for storage or transmission. First, the medical image is decomposed into n-bit-planes by bit-plane decomposition. Secondly, a fusion image is generated by a biometric image with a circular local binary pattern and pixel-weighted average method. The fused image is further decomposed into n bit-planes through bit-plane decomposition and performs XOR operation with the original medical image in reverse order. Following the execution of the XOR operation, a new scrambling and diffusion algorithm based on a one-dimensional fractional trigonometric function (1DFTF) chaotic map is employed to form the cipher image. The experimental results show that compared with the existing methods, the average information entropy value of TFMIE is 7.99, and the average values of NPCR and UACI reach 0.9958 and 0.3346, respectively, which have strong key sensitivity, good robustness, and anti-attack ability. The method is lossless and has high transmission efficiency, which can meet the needs of medical big data encryption.

Keywords: Bit-plane decomposition; Chaotic map; Medical image encryption; Texture fusion.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms*
  • Biometry*
  • Entropy
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Iris